Callers

How to protect yourself from caller threats?

• Don’t answer calls from unknown numbers. If you do, hang up immediately. 

• Don’t hit any buttons. If the caller asks you to, hang up immediately. 

• Don’t answer any questions, especially ones regarding your personal information. 

• Never respond with "yes". Repeat the question and alternatively answer, "I am" or "I understand" and request a written form of the proposal.

• Never reveal personal information, such as your Social Security number, mother’s maiden name, passwords, or credit card numbers.

• Don’t assume they are who they say they are. If you receive a call from somebody representing a company or a government agency, hang up and call back the phone number on the company or agency’s website. This will help verify the caller. 

• Don’t put your trust into the caller until you can assure they are who they say they are.

• Don’t panic. Remain calm. If you feel uncomfortable at any point, hang up.

• Set a password for your voicemail account. A scammer could hack into your voicemail if it is not properly secured with a password.

What's my story?

I began the new year with a new marketing campaign for tax and retirement planning. I am open to new clients at the start of the year. 

This caller left a message on a Friday evening after business hours and identified himself as "Chris."  He said he found my number on Google and recently came into a lot of money and needed help with retirement planning and financial advice. He left a rapid-fire phone number that was barely intelligible but my Voice account recorded the number.  Things got busy and I did not return the call immediately.

On Wednesday, after business hours, he called and I answered.  He was  following up on the message but this time a relative had died and left some money. This time he said he was looking for insurance to protect his income in case something happened at his job. (Hmm. Why would something happen at his job -- I thought?)

I directed him to my website to fill in a form to start the consultation, but he said he didn't have a computer.  He had given his laptop to a relative. He needed someone he could meet in person since he did not have a computer. He didn't have a phone. (What! How was he calling me?)

I explained the convenience for him to locate any needed documents while at his own home and the ease of a virtual consultation.  The caller disengaged since this would not work for him.  The call terminated.  That's when the bells went off.  This call left me feeling uneasy when I typically can mentally move these interactions to the back of my mind.  Movie scenes began to run through my head.  Well that's what brings me here.

The USA.gov has an entire section of their website devoted to scams and frauds. Here is their recommendation:

Report Telephone Scams

1. Report telephone scams online to the Federal Trade Commission. You can also call 1-877-382-4357 (TTY: 1-866-653-4261). ...

2. Report all robocalls and unwanted telemarketing calls to the Do Not Call Registry.

3. Report caller ID spoofing to the Federal Communications Commission.

Maybe you just want to talk about a call you received before making a formal report.  You can leave your experience here.  If you would like a call back, feel free to let us know where to call back in the "Other Comments" section.