Every single one of us has dealt with a con artist of some kind before in the past. From street peddlers selling iPad boxes with bricks instead of iPads, to Nigerian princes taking the time to send you an email promising untold wealth. Of all the varying ways to get scammed one of the worst can be through fake telemarketing companies. These fake companies imitate real companies and ask questions that no telemarketer or customer support technician would. Protecting yourself from these scams is nothing more than learning how to spot both the obvious and not so blatant signs that the person on the phone is not a legitimate worker.
Obvious Signs
When you answer a call from a company like Microsoft, what is your first reaction? I would hope you know that its fraud but the reality is some people don’t realize they are being scammed. Companies like Microsoft would never call you in the first place. When these calls come in they often go straight for the pocket book. This is another obvious sign, no company should be demanding money upfront in order to continue the discussion. Generally a good rule of thumb is to simply never give your financial information to anyone over the phone unless you made the call yourself and know who you are speaking too.
Another smoking gun is when random numbers call in order to tell you that you have been selected for some sort of special offer. It’s easy to see why they target the general public in the way. Most anyone would be excited by the idea that they won something and would happily give any information to obtain that prize. Keep yourself informed and alert in order to avoid these dirty tricks.
The Less Obvious Signs
When you receive a call from a stranger asking odd questions, you get put on alert. You have no idea who is really calling and it’s important to do some research if possible while on the call. Simple things like a quick google of the telephone number would help tremendously in the effort to protect yourself. Be sure to put the caller on the defense by asking every single question you can think of. If you stick to those steps you should be able to easily figure out what’s going on and what to do.
Conclusion
The conclusion to this article is really simple; bad people exists and they want to take your money. You need to be alert to these dangers and persistently checking those who pry for information. It’s also important that you take the time to report these incidents to friends and family. Explain what the caller said and how they approached getting your information. Making sure that everyone you know is informed will help greatly in ending or lowering these shameful tactics. I hope the best to you and your loved ones when dealing with these dreadful people. Remember, always stay alert to suspicious activity.
Author Bio
Eduardo Dieguez is a professional writer and content marketing consultant for Scott D. Owens, Esq. Attorney at Law. Eduardo is a 1st generation American born Cuban that is currently in pursuit of his AA Degree at Valencia.
