Avoiding 3 New Scams

Scams are a constant threat!  The scammers get more and more sophisticated, develop new devious plans, and are relentless.  Here are 3 new ones to be aware of and to make your extended family aware of:

1. Eastern European Mistake Call
   Someone’s grandmother recently received a call from someone who “mistakenly” dialed her. Rather than hang up, the nice young lady struck up an hour-long conversation! After multiple additional calls, this nice young lady tried to get the grandmother to call her via What’s App. Family members found out when the grandmother started asking young relatives how to make a What’s App call. The family immediately stopped this, over the grandmother’s protests. After looking into it further, these calls continue for about a month, then invariably the young lady has a sick child and needs money which her new “friend” will send!
2. Impersonating a Bank Rep
   Always be wary of a banker contacting you.  Recently someone impersonating a bank employee telephoned a client asking for confidential or secure information to verify purchases.  This could also happen through email or text – beware.  Bank employees will never ask you to provide your account number, pin number, or social security number to verify purchases made by credit or debit cards.
3. Do Not Trust Caller ID
   Scammers can compromise caller ID and appear as someone else on your device.  Do not trust caller ID, especially if it is a bank or credit card asking for account information.  Hang up.  Then, if you believe it was from your bank, lender, or credit card company, find the company’s telephone number from a past statement, and use that number to call the company back.

Be careful, be wary, and ask you your family and friends to do the same.