If you own a phone or have an email address, you have most likely experienced an attempted scam. They have become an expected part of our lives with technology and are constantly evolving and becoming more difficult to spot. Since they don’t seem to be going anywhere, here are some of our tips to prevent yourself from coming victim to a scam.
Don’t click on anything in an unsolicited email or text message asking you to update or verify account information.
Never send funds to a merchant until you can confirm that the request to change a payment destination is legitimate, like a statement from them or a verified customer service phone number.
Don’t rely only on caller ID to confirm someone’s identity, as scammers can compromise that too.
Look up the company’s phone number through a legitimate source like a statement provided by the company, and don’t use the number a potential scammer is providing.
Take your time. A legitimate person whether from a bank or vendor will never pressure you to immediately make a decision. They’ll provide you with all the necessary information and specific time frames to make your decision.
When in doubt, hang up the phone and call the number for the vendor that is calling you from either your credit card, banking, or vendor information. For credit or debit cards the number on the back of the card or on your statement is the best way to get a real phone number