Instances where individuals feign to be the police, a bank, a friend, or a business with the intent of persuading you to transfer funds.
How It Could Happen To You
• You receive an email, text message, or call that convincingly appears to be from a familiar acquaintance or entity. Scammers adeptly mimic others, generating calls or texts that seem to originate from legitimate numbers.
• They may assert an urgent need for money, claim you have outstanding bills, or insist that your internet service is malfunctioning. Any unexpected contact should be treated with suspicion.
• Scammers employ tactics to induce haste or panic, citing fraudulent activity on your account and urging you to swiftly move money to safeguard yourself – a clear indicator of a scam.
• Manipulating caller ID, email addresses, or text message labels, scammers conceal their true identity through 'number spoofing,' presenting themselves as someone familiar to you.
• If you encounter unsolicited messages or calls, especially those soliciting funds, terminate the call. Verify the genuine number using a reliable source, such as the company's website, and then initiate a callback.
How To Protect Yourself
• Exercise caution before clicking links in text messages and emails, particularly those prompting you to divulge personal information or make payments.
• Refrain from granting remote access to your computer or device to anyone who contacts you unexpectedly.
• Keep in mind – a legitimate company or organization would never request payment through the purchase of items like vouchers, jewelry, or gold.
• No reputable source would ask you to transfer your funds to a 'safe account' or claim that 'your money is at risk.' Any occurrence of this nature is indicative of a scam.