You’re told to send money to a government official
A rule of thumb is never to trust a ‘government official’ who is calling you to ask for money. Scammers will often impersonate people we trust most in our communities like government employees or sheriffs.
A big reason behind why this scam works is the fact that called IDs might even list a real person’s name. But trust us, nobody needs money that urgently. If you’ve been contacted this way, call the government agency instead and check with them. If you inform scammers of your intentions to contact the named authority, they’re also likely to get defensive, but don’t let them pressure you into sending them anything!
You’re promised help with starting your business
If word around town is that you’re starting a new business, you should prepare yourself to get a couple of unsolicited phone calls… from scammers, no less. They’ll hook you in by saying they’re business coaches that can help you out with information, contacts or ‘opportunities’ you shouldn’t miss out on.
Luckily, the FTC has provided clear guidelines on what you should do and what to expect as a new business owner, we strongly recommend following their advice.
In order to protect your business, you should look into the business opportunity rules in order to get a better idea of any illegal practices you should avoid. If someone contacts you, let them know about the one-page disclosure they should provide, as it’ll outline facts about their proposal. Another important document should outline their money-making claims.
If scammers can’t provide them, simply walk away and stop wasting your time discussing anything with them. Of course, some might even take this to the next level, which is why you should always check the business opportunity rule and make sure everything is in order before agreeing to anything.
You’re called about investing in a new business
On the flip side of things, you could be contacted by someone asking for you to invest in their business! The same rule mentioned earlier will protect you from losing your hard-earned money, so pay close attention when you do your research.
The first thing you should do is contact the State Consumer Protection Offices to check if everything is on the up-and-up. And don’t, under any circumstances, give away any confidential information. Scammers will look for every possible way to get your bank statements or credit card numbers, which you should never disclose, no matter how interesting the business opportunity sounds.
About 2 years ago, I had someone call me from “Dell computer” to tell me that they randomly monitored some of their computers and, while checking on my computer, they found that some scammer had accessed my computer and had installed some spyware. I wasn’t sure if they were on the “up and up” so I asked some questions. I asked him what model computer I owned and he told me correctly. I asked him the service tag number and he got that right too. I then told him to tell me what I needed to do and he said that if I would just give him permission, he would take over my machine and check it and remove the spyware for me. I was duly suspicious, but let him go. After a few seconds I saw my mouse pointer start moving on screen. Then, it dawned on me that there was no way that Dell could monitor every computer their company makes, it would run into many millions. I then reached over to my battery backup that I use and pushed the power button off and told him that I would contact Dell for myself with the REAL 1-800 number. Of course, he argued and I just hung up on him. I then called the Dell Customer Service line and told them what had happened. They told me that there was no way they could monitor any computer of theirs and I had done the right thing. Since then, I have gotten several other scam calls with the same line. If I don’t have much to do, I will play along with their scam just to have some fun. If they say they were monitoring my “Dell computer”, I would say, “I’m sorry, but I don’t have a Dell (I really do), I have an HP.” That will befuddle him some. He would go on and on about “your Dell, not HP” and I’ll insist I don’t have a Dell just smiling from ear to ear. After a few minutes I would say, “You obviously have the wrong number” and hang up. I did this one time and just a few minutes later, a person with the same foreign accent (they always have a foreign accent) and said he was from HP and had been monitoring my HP computer! It was the same person, to be sure. I then turned it around and told him that I didn’t own an HP, but a Dell. He was very frustrated and cursed at me and hung up!!
That is so true, concerning foreign accents. Just about every call regarding one service or another comes with some one with hard to understand accents. They also use other peoples numbers and if you call that number back it is usually a private individual who has no idea what you are talking about. They use other peoples phone numbers.
This is a great tip particularly to those fresh to the blogosphere.
Short but very accurate info… Many thanks for sharing this one.
A must read post!
I have been getting e mails saying I have a package that could not be delivered, first it was from FedEx. I did have a package coming but not one that would have to be signed for so wondered why they sent it, but I opened it and it gave a tracking number that i clicked on it said to press CONFIRM to open to see what the package was. Right away I could tell it was a scam and closed it out. We looked up fedex and they said they had no package for me and that all there tracking numbers were 12 numbers long and the one i pushed was only 10. Next day I get the same email message but this one was from USPS thinking maybe the FedEx had just dropped it off at the post office I opened it and the same thing so closed it too. The third day I get the same email but this time from UPS, I deleted that one too then on fourth day get same message but did not have a sended name only a symbol, so delegated it too.
Now every day and some times more than once a day I get emails saying I have won coffee pot, drill, electric mixer or some prize. The first one was from Wall mart and we had just bought groceries there so I opened it and they said I could get one of these prices but only showed cook wear set. You had to pay the shipping coast then if you won something they would send it. Another scam I am sure.
I was contacted and told I can get up to 150000 dollars for a grant from the hhs govt. Dept. Then they tell you , you can get cash or check sent directly to you via fed rx. Once you agree on computer, they ask you to pay fed 1500 dollars upon delivery, either cash, pay pal or credit card photo to them. They also tell you not to share this info. I was Soooo suspicious, I told my accountant that warned me against it, as a scam. Thank God
ha ha reading your comments I found this issue going on with FaceB00k. Just to play the game i contacted 148 women of all ages just to say hello and made it understood that I didn’t want anything and that I was retired and unmarried and was just looking for someone to talk too………well They wrote a couple of times telling me about themselves and just about all of them went to universities in different states lol yah right. Anyway within a couple of days I get this message on Facebook that they need money or gift cards for a certain amount sent to them for needs like their Aunt needs a prescription or their internet is going to be shut off or kicked out of their apartment, One told me that she needed a new telephone and another said she needed to buy pads because she started her period and didn’t have any money. Now all these girls had pictures of themselves so they said and were total foxes but I don’t think it was them lol. It could have been men writing for all I knew. The other scam was a very close friend was hacked on Facebook and sending me a message about getting free money that she did it and it worked out great. All I had to do was e-mail this certain person. Because I got this E-mail I almost believed this lol.
Scammers r now calling cable customers offering to lower ur bill by $100. They say they r losing millions of customers to streaming so this is an attempt to keep their customer base.
They seem to have the last 4 numbers of the credit card that is actually on file for payment with the company which makes the solicitation of the rest of the card numbers almost in order. NOT GOOD.