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Stay Alert: Protect Yourself from Telemarketing Fraud

telemarketing fraud

Stay Vigilant Against Common Telemarketing Scams

Telemarketing scammers are relentless in pursuit of your money. With consumer losses estimated at nearly $500 million a year, scammers use all means of technology at their disposal to trick victims into opening their wallets. Often, victims are targeted based on information scammers gather through social media or identity theft. The number of scams is vast, but they all include one or more of the following tactics:

  • Exerting pressure to act immediately on an opportunity.
  • Promising easy money with a work-at-home opportunity.
  • Offering to fix your credit, settle your debts, rescue your home from foreclosure, or facilitate a loan – all for a fee paid in advance.
  • Guaranteeing big returns on an investment with little or no risk.
  • Offering a prize as part of a sales pitch with no purchase necessary.
  • Requesting payment by money transfer, prepaid cards, or gift cards.

With the advanced technology and sophisticated methods employed by telemarketing scammers today, it’s often difficult to tell scammers from legitimate callers. You can protect yourself by strictly adhering to the following rules:

  • Hang up! If you don’t recognize a phone number on your caller ID, don’t answer.
  • If you take a call and any of the danger signs listed above emerge, hang up.
  • Be cautious of caller ID. Scammers can make their phone numbers appear familiar.
  • Never agree to pay anyone or provide any sensitive information over the phone unless it is through a call you initiate to a trusted person or business.
  • If a caller claims to be from the IRS, Social Security, or Medicare, hang up. These government agencies don’t initiate calls.

If you think you’ve talked with a scammer on the phone, report the call to the FTC.

About This Author

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Ross Bentzler

Ross Bentzler is Executive VP and Information Security Officer for Alpine Bank. Ross has worked in the information technology field for two decades, focusing on information security for 13 years.

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