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Phone Scams
Phone scams can catch you off guard. Don't fall for a scam on your phone. Often your phone will alert you to a scam number, but you need to do your own diligence.
Phone scams trick you – don’t answer calls from any person or number you don’t know. Sometimes phone scams “spoof” numbers or IDs you are familiar with, hoping you will pick it up. Sometimes the scam call comes from your bank, or from Amazon, or some common first name, all to get you to answer the call.
One family member got a scam call on his phone from “AT&T” saying his phone was having a problem and to give his login to restore it. As soon as he gave them his login the phone died. They now had control of his phone. He was in the mountains and realized he screwed up by falling for a scam. He found an AT&T store in a town and waited for them to fix it – but only could restore to the last backup made (which reminds me - back up your phone every day to the Cloud so you don’t lose any of your information). As to what all information the scammers got while they were able to log in - we don’t know the effects yet. Phone scams catch you off guard.
Another person has been getting scam texts on his phone – one was that his daughter was in the hospital and to call the number they gave. NEVER CALL A NUMBER GIVEN – ALWAYS search online or in your contacts for the real number. First – call the person who they said was in the hospital – directly, or their closest relative or friend, if you cannot reach the person. Call the main number of the hospital and ask if the person has been admitted. NEVER call the number they sent because a scammer will be waiting to pretend to be on the other end and try to convince you money is needed for a deductible, or extra procedure not insurance-covered, or something else. Are you even an emergency contact for the person? Don't fall for a scam. Think first.
Be vigilant – call numbers that you have and not what anything sent to you. If you are talking to someone and they are insistent – hang up and call back on a number you find from your own sources (on your phone contacts or independent Google search). Do not answer ANY call from any number that you don't know - it can be a scam number and suck you in to a scam.
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