Cybercrime rates are at an all-time high worldwide, and with the shift to remote work as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, this trend has only been augmented. Apart from using traditional methods like hacking, using spyware, or using other malicious programs, another way in which cyber criminals take advantage of unsuspecting victims is through scam calls.
While there are several ways in which you can find the identity of a scam caller, such as using a scammer phone number lookup, you must also be aware of the different ways in which these scammers try luring you into their traps. Understanding their tricks can go a long way in preventing you from falling for them.
Common Scam Caller Strategies
Calling You From an Organization, You Know Well
One of the most common strategies that scammers use to track your activity online is to understand which organizations you know or are associated with. Then, they call you as a representative of said organization in an effort to get you to give them confidential information. These organizations primarily include banks and other charities that often tend to deal with a lot of financial transactions.
As a result of the numerous attempts to pose as representatives of such organizations, banks often send you messages stating that they never ask you for details such as your card number, security code, or other key information over a phone call and that if you do receive a call asking for such information, you must report it immediately.
They Will Present You With a Prize or a Problem
Another common strategy that scammers often use to take advantage of unsuspecting victims is to tell you that there’s some kind of a problem with some service that you might be subscribed to and that they will need certain details from you to help them fix it. This could also be with something related to your bank account, following which a scammer might ask you for your bank account number, credit card number, and perhaps even its security code.
Similarly, they might even tell you that you’ve won some kind of prize in a lucky draw and that they’ll need your bank account details to credit the amount to you. These are instances in which you must instantly wake up to the red flags and hang up or report the scammer to the authorities.
They Pressure You to Take Immediate Action
While some scammers use cooked-up stories to scam you, others might use more coercive methods to force you to give them what they demand. This could include making threats so that you’re forced to download a certain file to your phone or computer or even giving them sensitive information that you wouldn’t otherwise give out to anyone else.
They rely on your inability to check out their story at that very moment to get you to give them what they want. In such a situation, you must remain vigilant and keep in complete control of yourself, as much as it’s natural to start panicking a little. Always remember that any official means of communication will not be made so rashly and under any form of duress. You can make use of a free reverse phone lookup with name to find out their identity and possibly any existing warrants against them.
How to Avoid Falling For Such Scams
Don’t Give Out Your Financial Details to Anyone
The first and most important thing to remember is never to give out any of your financial information over a call or even a link sent to your device, regardless of who asks for it. Scammers are experts at making such matters seem pressing and urgent, but you’ll need to be wary of such attempts at all times.
Be Careful of How You’re Asked to Make Payments
Most legit or genuine organizations will only make you pay them via a proper payment gateway and an OTP that’s sent to your device by your bank. With this in mind, if someone ever asks you to make a direct money transfer or deposit a check in their name, resist the urge to do so. If the scammer claims to be a representative or an employee of your bank, make sure to cross-check their identity from the bank itself. In most cases, the individual will turn out to be a scammer who will have nothing to do with the bank itself.
Resist the Pressure Scammers Often Make You Feel
As mentioned earlier, scammers will do their best to make you feel pressure to take certain actions. However, the one thing you must always remember is that you must remain absolutely calm in such a situation and think the whole situation through in a rational manner. This will go a long way in keeping you out of any trouble or a sticky situation.
Conclusion
As you can see, scamming is one of many ways in which cybercriminals attempt to get access to your private and confidential information. The other means, which are often a lot more covert, are also worth looking into. This website is a great place to start reading up on them so that you’re better prepared for the dangers lurking online.
