Phone scams have been around for a long time but are becoming more prevalent in the modern world. Knowing how to avoid these sorts of things is important to reduce the chances of something bad happening to you. Not all scams are the same, and you can usually spot them through typical emails and texts. Here is a list of the most common mistakes people make and the different ways to prevent yourself from falling victim to phone scams.
1. Passing over Suspicious Charges on Your Phone Bill
If you suspect a sum of money is erroneously charged, look for extraneous charges on your telephone bill, such as calls to an area whose code you do not recognize or an international number. Check the area codes against the list of known phone scams before making a payment. Call the support number listed on your phone bill and ask them to check for any extraneous charges on your account. If they can’t find anything wrong on record, request a fraud alert on it and have them confirm this in writing.
2. Storing Your Passwords in Insecure Places
Whenever you create an account, ensure you secure the passwords in a safe place online. Many people make the mistake of either having simple passwords or not storing them securely. Keeping your passwords in a secure online vault is the best decision if you take care of your data safety. It is also recommended that you get back up password storage. A paper copy of your password is advisable in case your original key can’t be found.
Password managers encrypt your data so that hackers stand no chance of intercepting it. Furthermore, you can change these credentials automatically infinite times so that it is easy for you to remember them.
3. Overlooking the Need for Phone Number Lookup
The reason why phone scams have reached record levels is that fraudsters are constantly updating their tactics. Whenever you get a call or text from a suspicious number, you should investigate further and find out more about the owner of the number. If you still don’t know, a lookup tool is the easiest way to find out more about a given phone number. PhoneHistory is among the leading reverse phone lookups that do the job. You can leverage this tool to unravel the mystery of a new caller.
4. Ignoring the Call to Use 2FA
Phone scams can easily be avoided with two-factor authentication (2FA). It is a security feature that generates new temporary numbers for users every time they log into their accounts. It also requires a second form of identification to log in from a new device.
You can set up this robust authentication with your email, phone number, or a special application as a backup. What you need for two-factor authentication is:
- Your username and password.
- A generated code from your phone, mail, or other software; or your biometric data – a fingerprint, retinal scan, or voice verification.
Phone scammers cannot hack any of your accounts secured with this robust feature. Moreover, 2FA lets you know about a hacking attempt: if a message with a one-time code suddenly comes on your phone or email even though you have not made any attempts to log in, it means that somebody is trying to hack you, and it’s time to change an unreliable password.
5. Using Short and Simple PINS
The most common phone scams involve credit card mobile payments. People have lost thousands of dollars being tricked or forced to reveal their transaction PIN. The best way to prevent this is to create a sophisticated PIN and keep it private. Also, make an effort to change it every three months or as the account requires.
Extra complicated PINs are difficult to crack in a short time, which is a huge turn-off for black-hat hackers. If they can’t get into your phone, it is impossible to scam you. If they don’t know how to get into your phone, how can they retrieve your information? Unfortunately, many people use short and predictable PINs and thus make their digital security easy to bypass.
6. Using Third-Party Apps Instead of Official Ones
Phone scams can be avoided significantly by using official apps for services. For instance, if you want to make a payment, go through your device’s app store and get the company’s official app. This way, your transaction goes through to the right company and not through other channels. Many people who are deceived by con artists use unsecured third-party apps that can’t guarantee the safety of their data.
7. Using Public WiFi without Any Security Measures
Public wifi can seem cheap, but the ultimate price you pay due to malicious attacks can be pretty high. If you’re going to use public wifi, at least ensure you have a VPN. VPN masks your IP address, making it hard for phone scammers to track your activities or discover your true identity. Hence, VPN utilizes strong encryption to keep your data from being spied on by third parties.
8. Ignoring Caller ID Numbers
Scammers use spoofing technology to make their call appear to come from a reputable company or government agency. These scammers also use fake foreign accents and names of credible authorities to throw you off guard. If a caller asks you for some personal data or threatens you with legal action if you don’t pay immediately, hang up and contact the business or government agency in question directly.
9. Picking Strange Calls
All scams are unique, but some can still be stopped by installing a blocking app on your phone. There are a couple of different apps to pick from, one of which is Google’s free call blocker. Furthermore, you can also use apps that block texts and calls from numbers not in your contact list.
10. Taking Security Measures Lightly
Never give out any personal or credit card information to anyone who calls and claims to be from a bank or government agency. Also, this information is not to be disclosed over the phone, even for companies that possess your private information. Always call the company back using their official contacts rather than via a number an unknown caller provides. And combine multiple anti-phishing tools with anti-malware software to detect these malicious callers.
Conclusion
It is important to remember that not all scams are the same, so you have to be alert not to become an easy target for fraudsters. The above tips will help you deal with phone scams more effectively. There are plenty of other ways to protect yourself from such kinds of scams. As long as you remain vigilant, you reduce your chances of falling prey to these schemes significantly.
