With scammers so determined to come after you, here are some ways to protect yourself:
Use caller ID: Knowing for sure with whom you are dealing is the first step in protecting yourself.
Never give out personal or financial information over the phone: The goal of some phone calls is not necessarily to get money from you right away, but to gather information that will allow criminals to get at your money eventually. Don’t give out any information, no matter how seemingly harmless, unless you have an established relationship with the caller and they have a legitimate reason to ask for it.
Always get a call-back number before responding: A great way to deal with bogus phone calls is to ask for a call-back number. Scammers will almost always hang up as soon as you do this.
Limit access to your accounts: You may need to give a family member or financial professional access to your finances, but do so sparingly so there can be accountability for how that access is used.
Double-check website URLs: When you are directed to or receive a pop-up from a website claiming to be your bank or other authority, go directly to the official home page before you click on it. Check the domain name in the URL. Fake websites often have URLs designed to look similar to the real thing, but they don’t quite match up.
Never feel pressured to do something quickly: Financial decisions have long-term consequences. Never let anyone force you to make them in a hurry.
Stay on top of your finances: Monitor your accounts at least monthly for suspicious transactions or sudden changes in value.
