SEVEN STEPS TO FOIL SAVVY SCAMMERS

Impersonation phone scams are on the rise. If you get a call, seemingly from a government employee, requesting funds or sensitive information—beware! These types of scams have been going on for a long time, but unfortunately, they’re still paying off. What’s more, the criminals and their scams are growing more sophisticated, so you need to be even more vigilant to stay on top of them. 

These criminals try to convince you that they’re for real by using the name and title of an actual employee of the agency or business in question. But virtually no government agency nor even most private businesses will contact you unsolicited with a request to wire money, cash, or cryptocurrency or to use a gift card. If the person asks you to keep the contact secret, that’s an even bigger red flag. 

What to Do if a Scammer Calls You 

If you suspect you are being scammed by an impersonator, take the following steps: 

1. First and foremost, keep your cool. Scammers often try to create a sense of urgency or panic. Don’t let them. 
2. Do not send money or any type of payment or funding. Do not provide any sensitive information, such as a credit card or social security number. 
3. Note the caller’s phone number. 
4. Hang up immediately. 
5. If you think there’s a chance the request may be legitimate, verify it by calling a valid number for the agency or business, such as the one listed on their website—NOT a number provided by the potential scammer! 
6. Report suspected scams to the agency or business in question—again, use a valid number. Many agencies and businesses have contact information for that very purpose listed on their websites. 
7. You can also report suspected scams to your phone service provider or to law enforcement. 

Additional Tips for Email Scams 

Similar scams are frequently perpetrated by email. The above principles still apply. Additionally, keep the following in mind: 

• Be very cautious about opening attachments or clicking on links. If you have any doubts at all, don’t do it! 
• Before opening a suspicious message, move it to your Junk or Spam folder, if it’s not already there. This disables the hyperlink capability and lets you see the URL. 
• Never forward a suspicious email. 

Source: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/alerts/2024/06/12/phone-scammers-impersonating-cisa-employees