While mobile phone technology is one of the best things to have ever happened to us, it has good and bad sides.
Phones have numerous benefits, including communication, payments, commerce, and entertainment. On the flip side, phones have become the primary gadgets for modern-day scams.
From imposters to impersonators, criminals are using all kinds of techniques to rip off their victims. So, if you spend much time on your phone, be guarded.
Common Phone Scams To Watch Out For
There are dozens of phone scams you should watch out for when on your phone. Some happen offline, while others mainly take place online.
The best way to deal with these cons is not to avoid using your gadget but to catch the frauds before becoming a victim. You will need the right tips for identifying and dealing with possible rip-offs. Here are common phone cons used by fraudsters.
Phishing
Phishing is a con where scammers use messages and emails to trick victims into giving out private information or rob them of money.
During phishing, a con artist will either be an imposter pretending to be a non-existent person or an impersonator using someone else’s stolen identity. Either way, the goal is to get something from a victim.
You can tell a phishing scam by verifying the person’s identity. Simply go to Nuwber and search the email address or phone number to find out who it belongs to.
Fraudulent bank calls
Phone scammers have perfected their art of deception by playing into their victims’ fears. The crooks will call you pretending to be bank officials and alert you of potential fraud.
The intention is to bombard you with too much scary information and then ask for personal details such as passwords or credit card details.
If anyone makes such demands, hang up, stop responding, and call the number from the official website to verify the request.
Lottery scams
Nowadays, getting a call or a message claiming you have been randomly selected for a lottery has become super common.
Don’t fall for this, no matter how much you need money. In most of these swindles, fraudsters will tell you to send government fees and taxes through a provided account for the funds to be released.
The second you do, they will disappear with your money, and you’ll never hear from them again.
IRS threat calls.
IRS phone scams are mainly on the rise during the tax season. Fraudsters posing as tax agents will threaten legal action if you don’t make a payment to the specified account.
They will even give a fake badge number and lie to you that police are on their way to make you comply instantly. You can tell it’s a scam because the IRS rarely makes phone calls and never demands payments over the phone.
Fake charity appeals
After tragedies or natural disasters, many people sympathize with the victims and have the goodwill to assist in different capacities.
Crooks count on this kindness to get money from the well-wishers. You can avoid this trick by not making donations to unverified callers.
Instead, conduct thorough research to verify the information before sending any items or money. Again, choose to work with reputable charity organizations rather than those that reach out to you.
Celebrity scams
Celebrities began hosting online concerts during the COVID-19 pandemic and increased interactions with their fans during that time.
Scammers have since considered this an opportunity to trick people and rip them off their money. A con may use a social media account to impersonate a celebrity and engage a victim.
After becoming familiar with each other, the fraudster will ask the victim for money, claiming they will pay back in a few days. However, the second you send the money, they block you, and that’s it.
Event ticket scams
Big events such as sporting activities or music concerts attract thousands of people. Scammers know this, and they will have numerous phone cons either by calls or messages pretending to sell you tickets.
After paying, a fake ticket number is given, and you will only realize you have been swindled when you are denied entry at the gate.
To avoid this scam, only pay for tickets from official officials and always confirm the event’s venue, date, and organizers.
Pop-Up Scams
Besides phishing frauds, crooks also use pop-ups to rip off phone users. That is particularly so for smartphone users who have internet access. The swindler will send them malware or viruses as pop-ups or links.
After opening these pop-ups and links, malware is downloaded into your gadget and is used to steal personal data. You can mitigate this risk by not opening pop-ups or links that appear suspicious or from sources you can’t verify.
Final Thoughts
The more time you spend on your phone, the higher the chances of getting scammed. But the solution is not to keep off your gadget. Instead, take time to learn about the risks you are exposed to and how to address them.
Most phone scams are phishing and pop-ups since we mainly use these gadgets for communication and browsing. There are also dozens of other ways people are ripped off, so be cautious when dealing with suspicious individuals.
