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What to do if you've fallen victim to a phone scam Okay, so a scam caller was able to trick you, now what?
First, you'll need to assess the damage done. What kinds of information did the caller get from you? Did they access your computer? Right now your mind may be running wild with worrying what the caller is about to do. Stop. relax for a moment and let's figure this out. I've created a list of common things scammers ask for and what to do if they gained access to any of it. Click on one of the shortcuts below. Names, Addresses, and Phone Numbers While a scammer having access to this information may sound scary, the fact is, whether we like it or not, this information is already easy to find and is all over the web. Databases such as WhitePages.com, or the many marketing databases used by companies that send junk mail very likely already have this information. Unfortunately there isn't much you can do to change this, but the good news is you likely don't need to worry about anything happening. But be on alert for any future calls that may try to use this information to gain your trust and trick you again. Banking Information and other sensitive financial data Financial information should be protected with a high regard for security. If this information has been compromised, you need to take steps to protect it from fraudulent use. Credit/Debit Cards: If a credit or debit card number was compromised, call your bank or card issuer immediately and report the card stolen so the card can be cancelled and a new card issued. It's inconvenient having to wait for a new card, but it's important that you do it right away. If the card has already been used, report the fraudulent transactions. You are not responsible for fraud and your financial institution should issue a credit while they investigate what happened. Banking Information: If your bank account information has been compromised, you need to contact your bank and alert them to what happened. There are steps that they can take to protect your account information from being used for fraud. You can also close the account and open a new one if you feel there is a high risk for this happening. Talk to your bank, and listen to their advice. Online Banking Login: If this information has been compromised, change your password and make sure it is a strong password. Strong passwords are long, contain a mixture of lowercase letters, capital letters, numbers, and if allowed, special symbols such as @, !, &, etc. Do NOT use information that is easy to guess such as any part of your name, kids names, street address, zip code, etc. If remembering complicated passwords is a challenge for you, write it down and keep it in a secure location such as a safe or locked drawer. You should also change your passwords regularly and not use the same password for multiple accounts. You can call your banks internet help desk if you need assistance with changing your password. You should also consider filing a fraud alert or
credit freeze with one of the 3 major credit bureaus to protect
yourself from identity theft and sign-up for Identity Theft
Protection from a reputable company such as
LifeLock If your social security number has been compromised,
you need to call your social security office and let them know what
happened. Here is some information from the
Social Security Administration You should also consider filing a fraud alert or
credit freeze with one of the 3 major credit bureaus to protect
yourself from identity theft and sign-up for Identity Theft
Protection from a reputable company such as
LifeLock If any passwords have been compromised, or even if you think there is a possibility that they might be change your passwords NOW and make sure it is a strong password. Strong passwords are long, contain a mixture of lowercase letters, capital letters, numbers, and if allowed, special symbols such as @, !, &, etc. Do NOT use information that is easy to guess such as any part of your name, kids names, street address, zip code, etc. If remembering complicated passwords is a challenge for you, write it down and keep it in a secure location such as a safe or locked drawer. You should also change your passwords regularly and not use the same password for multiple accounts. You can call the company where the account is held or visit their internet help website if you need assistance with changing your password. Examples of accounts to change passwords for include: Facebook, Email Accounts, Microsoft Account, Online Banking, etc. They gained remote access to a computer You need to change your
passwords, and have your computer scanned for malware and
viruses. You should run your anti-virus software AND run an
anti-malware program.
MalwareBytes Protect yourself from Identity Theft If your sensitive information has been severely compromised, you can take steps to lock things down and minimize the damage. You can file for a Fraud Alert or Credit Freeze with any of the 3 major credit bureaus (you only need to file with one, the other two will be alerted automatically). Here are two links to Experian, one of the major credit bureaus to get you started: You can also sign-up for Identity Theft Protection
from a company such as
LifeLock
This page was created on Saturday December 4, 2021 and was last updated on Saturday, December 04, 2021. ©2015-2021 Matthew Furman
On-Line
Here's some useful tips to avoid being scammed. To return to Telemarketer 101 homepage click here. To return to the Furman Computers Support Site, click here.
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