economy and politics

Don’t Get Scammed: The Word You Should Never Say If an Unknown Number Calls You

Scam

The growth of online transactions and The exponential use of digital platforms turned virtual scams into one of the most frequent and massive problems today. Whether identity theft, bank fraud, scam calls, cybercriminals are increasingly finding ways. We indicate what is the word you should not say when faced with an unknown call and thus avoid falling into a scam.

He Bank of Spain explains, from the Financial Client Portal, what the main drawbacks of providing information by telephone are.

Systems and cybersecurity specialists agree in making a first and very important warning: the word that What you should not say when you receive a call from an unknown number is “yes”.

A wide variety of frauds that are being reported often work by getting victims to answer “yes” to a seemingly harmless question, for example when confirming their identity or accepting information about an offer.

Scammers can record that affirmative response and use it to make fraudulent transactions, authorize charges to the victim’s account, enroll them in unwanted services, or compromise their identity.

(READ: The 5 professions in Colombia with which you could end up in poverty, according to ChatGPT)

“Unknown” numbers, the keys to telephone scams

It is important to note that calls using this tactic areThey usually originate from unknown numbers or from numbers that appear to be from important companies, such as banks or financial services.

Scammers want the person receiving the call to feel calm and respond affirmatively, thus facilitating the fraudulent use of their recorded consent.

(MORE: The 5 careers that only the smartest Colombians do: ChatGPT)

Tips to avoid giving information to scammers over the phone

Scam

iStock

He Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited (ICBC), present in several Latin American countries, He also provided some recommendations to avoid potential complications.

To avoid revealing information to scammers over the phone, it is key to stay alert and apply some security strategies.

Here are some strategies:
Intuition above all: Do not respond to suspicious calls or calls from unknown numbers.

Be wary of unexpected calls: especially from a company or financial institution, consider not sharing information until verifying its authenticity.

Do not return calls to unknown numbers– Some scammers try to get you to return calls to premium rate numbers, which may incur high charges.

Set up call blockers: Many applications and operators offer services to block suspicious calls or label numbers as possible frauds.

Use voicemail as a filter: If you have the option, let unknown calls go to voicemail. Scammers rarely leave messages, and this helps you avoid falling into a misleading conversation.

Stay calm in the face of threats or pressure: Scammers often try to scare or pressure, saying that you must pay immediately or face serious consequences.

Do not respond to pressure: End the call if you don’t feel safe.

Source link