Spoofing is when a caller deliberately falsifies the information transmitted to your caller ID display to disguise their identity. To trick you into answering, spoofers may use local area codes and numbers that look familiar. Here are some ways to avoid being spoofed.
- Don’t answer calls from unknow numbers.
- If you answer and it’s not who you expected don’t hang on, hang up.
- If a caller asks you to hit a button to stop getting calls, just hang up.
- Never assume an unexpected call is legitimate. Hang up and call back using a number you can verify on a bill, a statement or an official website.
- Be suspicious. Con artists can be very convincing.
- Don’t give out personal information – account numbers, social security numbers, or passwords – or answer security questions.
- Use extreme caution if you are being pressured for immediate payment.
- Report spoofing scans to law enforcement, the FCC and the FTC.
By: Brenda Langdon
