Scam phone calls have become more prevalent in recent years. Here are some tips from a Chester County Injury Lawyer to protect yourself.
Know who is calling you. Ask for names, contact information and position in a company or organization. If you hear one ring and then nothing – do not call back.
Some common scams include criminals contacting seniors and posing as grandchildren in need of money. Grandparents can avoid being taken in by this ruse, with a few simple tips:
- If you don’t recognize the number that your “grandchild” is using to call you, hang up and call them back on their regular number. If they are confused and say that they have not called you, then you have proof it was a scam call.
- Do not wire money to anyone (even a family member) without proof that you are actually speaking to someone you know.
- If a “grandchild” is in trouble and needs money – call their parents, siblings first to make sure that it is real.
- Some scenarios that scammers use when pretending to be a grandchild in need of funds: lost wallet while traveling, missed connection while travelling, money for books or school, lost phone.
Another way that criminals can target people is by pretending to be a government employee needing information. Do not give up your information unless you are completely confident that the call is legitimate. Scammers can use your personal information to steal your identity. Here are common ploys:
- A criminal pretending to be from the IRS
- An “employee” from social security requesting sensitive personal data
- Remember that the government will never request payment over the phone, or via giftcard or other non-official methods
If you are unsure about whether a caller is a scam, take down the information, hang up and call someone for verification – a trusted family member, a lawyer, the attorney general for your state, a county official.
You can reach a Chester County Injury Lawyer at Graham & Mauer via phone or online!
