Scam artists rely heavily on the telephone to trick consumers. The statistics are alarming. Nearly one in every 2,000 telephone calls originating in the United States has a scammer on the other end of the phone line. And they are surprisingly effective.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, people of all ages, incomes and education levels have fallen victim to phone scammers.
One of the most common types of phone scams involves a call from an individual claiming to be an IRS representative who tells you that you owe back taxes. The Internal Revenue Service wants consumers to know that it never calls consumers to demand immediate payment of taxes, nor will the agency call a consumer about taxes owed without first having mailed a bill. The IRS also will never ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone or threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups if they do not pay their tax bill in full.
Another common phone scam involves someone claiming to be from your financial institution or a charitable organization. Also beware of anyone who calls you claiming you’ve won a prize — even if they say it’s from a legitimate local business. Also be wary of automated calls that ask you to call a specific number to receive your prize.
Why do so many people fall for phone scams? We’ve all been taught since children to be polite on the phone. But keep in mind that you have no obligation to continue to stay on the line with a stranger. If the call makes you uncomfortable, hang up. Also, you can register your home and mobile phone numbers with the National Do Not Call Registry. This won’t stop all unsolicited calls, but it will stop many of them. If your number is on the registry and you still get calls, they are probably from scammers ignoring the law. Hang up, and report them.
