Tech Talk with Jeff - Unfamiliar Phone Numbers
An unfamiliar number is calling, should you answer it?
With all the technology available, it has become very easy for scammers all over the world to try to call you. What makes it harder is their use of caller ID. Altering caller ID is child’s play to them. The scammers use phone numbers in your local exchange to try and fool you into thinking it's a local call that you need to answer because it might be someone you know.
What can you do about these types of calls? Not much. These are some basic guidelines that will help you protect yourself and minimize the disruption.
- Never trust your caller ID.
- If it's a robo (automated) call, hang up.
- If it's a scammer trying to sell or convince you of something, hang up (no need to be polite).
- Block the number if you can but understand that they will just move on to another number to call from.
The FTC has some useful information available here on how to stop unwanted calls. There is also a link to sign up for the national do not call registry. This is also worth doing, but it won't stop all foreign callers or scammers.
As with any technology, there is good and there is bad. We have the wonderful convenience of easy communication, but it also gets used against us. Just remember to keep protecting yourself as best you can against these threats that catch you at random unexpected times.
Be aware and be safe!
