Beware of phishing calls from people claiming to be from the IRS, credit card companies, computer techs, charities and so many more. To keep your personal information and money safe, listen for some of these main red flags:
• Wanting payment in the form of a prepaid debit or gift card, money gram/money order or bank wire
• Telling you not to contact anyone until you send the payment
• Asking you to “verify” your information such as full Social Security number or full credit card number
If you receive a suspicious call, hang up immediately. If the call is from a known company, call the company directly from a trusted number to verify the legitimacy of the call. Do not pay anything over the phone. Instead, ask for a paper bill to be mailed to the address they have on file.
If you believe you’ve been scammed, file your complaint at www.ftc.gov, and then visit the FTC’s Identity Theft Web site at www.consumer.gov/idtheft to learn how to minimize your risk of damage from ID theft.