Photo: FBI
Robocalls are a growing threat for people across the world, as malicious actors turn to digital scripts to call people in an attempt to trick them into transferring money to various accounts or sharing sensitive information like passwords and bank account data.
More complex robocalls schemes include not only digital voices, but also requests to press certain buttons, with targets then connected to real persons that are trying to trick them into sharing various details.
The FBI says some of these calls could be related to expiring car warranties or unpaid bills, and this is the reason you should never press any buttons or answer questions short questions with yes or no.
“The scammer is likely recording you and can use that verbal ‘yes’ later to pretend you agreed to something you did not,” the FBI says.
Furthermore, the feds warn that you should never ever disclose any personal information over the phone to people you don’t trust, including here account numbers, Social Security numbers, mother’s maiden name, passwords, or other identifying information.
The FBI claims it’s also better to just reach out to your phone company and discuss ways to block robocalls, while also requesting a way to protect your voice mail account with a password. This way, scammers trying to spoof your phone number to access the mail would no longer be able to listen to your messages.
The recommendations go as far as telling people to never answer calls from unknown numbers, though this is obviously a little extreme. “If you answer such a call, hang up immediately,” the FBI says.
And of course, if you believe a scammer reached out to you and for some reason you ended up disclosing sensitive information or bank accounts, you should reach out to the FBI as soon as possible. In the case of calls related to car warranties, you are recommended to reach out to the closest dealership for additional information.
The FBI says some of these calls could be related to expiring car warranties or unpaid bills, and this is the reason you should never press any buttons or answer questions short questions with yes or no.
“The scammer is likely recording you and can use that verbal ‘yes’ later to pretend you agreed to something you did not,” the FBI says.
Furthermore, the feds warn that you should never ever disclose any personal information over the phone to people you don’t trust, including here account numbers, Social Security numbers, mother’s maiden name, passwords, or other identifying information.
The FBI claims it’s also better to just reach out to your phone company and discuss ways to block robocalls, while also requesting a way to protect your voice mail account with a password. This way, scammers trying to spoof your phone number to access the mail would no longer be able to listen to your messages.
The recommendations go as far as telling people to never answer calls from unknown numbers, though this is obviously a little extreme. “If you answer such a call, hang up immediately,” the FBI says.
And of course, if you believe a scammer reached out to you and for some reason you ended up disclosing sensitive information or bank accounts, you should reach out to the FBI as soon as possible. In the case of calls related to car warranties, you are recommended to reach out to the closest dealership for additional information.
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