These days, everyone needs to be extra vigilant when it comes to spotting scammers and phishing attempts. It’s sad but true that you really need to be mindful of every communication you receive. Whether scams come via a phone call, email, or letter in the mail, there are several tell-tale flags that can help alert you that the message you are getting might not be legit.
1. The important but unusual source.
They pretend to be from someplace you know, but it seems kind of odd they are contacting you. It could be the IRS, your bank, the Social Security Administration, or your local Police Department. It’s from someplace important so you take notice and don’t want to ignore it, but in the back of your mind, you’re thinking, “Am I in trouble?” “Did something happen?” “Why are they contacting me this way?”
2. You won a prize!
A popular tactic is to tell you about a prize you’ve won or are eligible for. A prize that is maybe a little too good to be believed. But…in order to collect the prize you need to provide some information, pay a fee, or buy something first. Remember if it’s too good to be true, it probably is.
3. You need to act fast.
Scammers want to pressure you to act fast. The more pressure you feel, the less time you have to think. They may say you’ve got a virus that needs to be dealt with immediately, or an account is on the verge of being cancelled unless you act now. They even may resort to threats such as closing you bank account or taking legal action unless you take action right away.
4. Someone you know needs $$$.
They may claim to be someone you know or a family member who is in trouble and needs your help. Usually your financial help. They got locked out of an account. They lost their credit/debit card. If you could just send some funds…
5. Specific payment process.
Many times, scammers insist on how you need to provide them with money. It might be through a payment app, by buying a gift card, by cashing a fake check for them and then sending the money, using a wire transfer, and so on. They’re insistent on one specific method/process and, again, you need to act fast.
6. Bad spelling and strange grammar.
Strange as it may seem, one of the easiest ways to spot a scammer is to look at his writing. Scammers often misspell words, make grammatical errors, or use wording that seems odd for the person they’re supposed to be coming from.
7. Insistence and reluctance.
Does the person you’re communicating with keep insisting that you provide them with what they want? Do they threaten you? At the same time, are they reluctant to answer your questions and provide information on themselves. Do they get annoyed that you’re not being cooperative? Or, do they seem sympathetic with your suspicions and are they willing to help you resolve them? If it’s a legit communication, they should be understanding and helpful and provide whatever information you ask.
8. They ask for personal information
The most obvious flag to watch for is if they are asking you for any personal information of any kind. Due to previous data breaches, they may already have info on you that they use to gain your trust. But then they continue to seek more. No credible institution is going to call you or email you and ask you for personal info. If it’s a legit request you can always call or email them on your own at a known number or address to verify.
Trust your gut.
A good rule of thumb is if it feels suspicious it probably is suspicious. If you take a step back and consider the phone call or the email you’ve just received, does it make you feel…uncomfortable? Do you have any sense that it could be not what it seems? Is this the way the person or company would normally act?
If there’s any doubt, there’s no harm done in checking the source, hanging up and calling a published company number, texting your friend to verify his story, and so on.
Don’t click on the links they give you. Don’t call the numbers they provide. Don’t trust the caller ID (that can be faked). And always trust your intuition.