Answer Phone Calls Only From People You Know, if Unsure Don't Answer

With the rise of spam calls and other scams, it’s more important than ever to be careful about who you answer your phone for. If you don’t recognize the number, don’t answer. It’s just not worth the risk.

Here are a few reasons why you should only answer phone calls from people you know:

• Spam calls. These are calls from scammers who are trying to sell you something or trick you into giving them your personal information. They can be very convincing, and they often use caller ID spoofing to make it look like the call is coming from a legitimate number.
• Phishing calls. These are calls from scammers who are trying to get you to reveal your personal information, such as your bank account number or credit card number. They may pose as a representative from your bank or credit card company, or they may claim to be from a government agency.
• Telemarketing calls. These are calls from companies that are trying to sell you something. They can be very annoying, and they can often waste your time.

If you’re not sure whether or not to answer a call from an unknown number, you can do a few things to protect yourself:

• Check the caller ID. If you see a number that you don’t recognize, you can do a quick Google search to see if it’s been reported as a spam or scam number.
• Let the call go to voicemail. If you’re not sure whether or not to answer a call, you can let it go to voicemail. If it’s important, the caller will leave a message.
• Use the “Do Not Disturb” feature. This feature will silence all incoming calls, except for calls from people on your contact list.

It’s also important to be aware of the signs of a scam call. These signs include:

• The caller is asking for personal information. This could include your bank account number, credit card number, or Social Security number.
• The caller is pressuring you to act quickly. They may say that you have to act now or you’ll lose out on a great deal.
• The caller is making you feel scared or threatened. They may say that you’re in trouble with the law or that your account will be closed if you don’t cooperate.

If you think you’ve received a scam call, you should hang up immediately. You should also report the call to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

See Scam and Fraud Protection for 2023 for more information and make sure to Sign Up for our Scam Prevention Newsletter.