Scam calls and texts are becoming increasingly sophisticated.
So, how can you protect yourself?
Who’s behind scams?
First, understand the misconceptions around who’s perpetrating these scams, said Kim Key, senior writer for PCMag.
“ A lot of times we think of scammers as being sort of a small-scale crime, you know, small-scale criminals,” Key said. “And these are criminal organizations. A lot of times, these are very rich people. These aren’t hackers in hoodies.”
Scammers working from warehouses or call centers have become a global issue, Key said. Sometimes, even human trafficking is involved.
What tactics work?
Scammers use familiarity to gain trust. Some might reach out using an artificial intelligence voice clone of a loved one, Key said.
“Give a safe word to your family, to your friends,” Key said. “And they can, if they have any sort of doubt that it might be you, they’ll ask you the safe word, and then you can say it.”
Do do-not-call lists help?
Do-not-call lists won’t deter criminals, Key said.
Key recommends going into your phone’s settings and silencing all junk calls or calls from numbers that aren’t in your contacts.
How are scammers getting my number in the first place?
Scammers utilize personal data available online that companies sold or lost, Key said.
“ The best way to kind of protect that stuff is to treat it like it’s valuable, treat it like you know that it’s going to make these companies a lot of money if they sell it,” Key said. “You should value it too. Don’t give it away. Basically, if you download a free app, know that you are the thing for sale.”
How can I protect my data?
To stay smart while shopping online, limit the number of companies you give your information to, Key said.
“ Decide, ‘Okay, I’m going to use Apple Pay, I’m going to use Google Pay, I’m going to use PayPal or Visa or MasterCard. and that’s it,’” Key said. “And a lot of times it’s a one-click process. You don’t have to manually enter in your credit card number or anything like that. And the company that you’re doing business with also won’t see all of that data, so they can’t sell it or use it against you later, or if they get hacked, it’s not going to go directly to the dark web.”
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This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
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