Depending on your upbringing, receiving a phone call can feel either routine or excessively invasive. Regardless of your background, one important truth remains: legitimate companies will never call you to ask for your account or personal information.
Fraudsters often disguise themselves under the pretense of “confirming” your details in an attempt to access your accounts without your permission. With the rapid advancement of generative AI tools, these phone calls may sound convincing.
However, they are frequently dubious in nature. If a company’s name appears on your caller ID, it’s wise to let the call go to voicemail since caller IDs can be easily spoofed.
If you accidentally answer, simply state that you are busy and will return the call later. Then, use contact information you have verified yourself—whether from your online account, a physical statement, or the company’s official website—to address the issue.
This applies even to calls regarding fraud alerts, as these scams are also quite common. It’s important to note that phone calls are not the only method scammers use to reach out.
They can also attempt to contact you through text messages or emails. The same caution applies here: avoid clicking any links in these communications.
Instead, open a new browser tab, visit the official website, and log in to check for any issues. Scams thrive because it’s essential to pay attention to potential fraud warnings and unexpected messages about your accounts.
The key is to stay vigilant while being judicious about your next steps. As the use of AI tools by cybercriminals rises, the prevalence of these scams has increased.
Therefore, it’s crucial to ensure that you do not disregard legitimate notifications from your bank or other companies inadvertently.