One day you’re minding your own business and you get a call from a robot claiming it is from a company you recognize. This could be something like Apple, Amazon, or Google. The robot will say that something may have been compromised on your account with them–this is a scam. These types of corporations have too many customers to call up individuals to inform them about a problem with their accounts. They would most likely contact you via email as it’s the easiest way for them to stay in communication.
These types of scam calls can come in various forms, but the main thing to be aware of is that large corporations like Amazon or Apple would never call you to ask for personal information, login credentials, or credit card numbers. How these scams work is that they will use a robot to call you about some information that requires your immediate attention; then, it would either give you a number to call back or ask you to press 1 to connect with a representative.
Some scam calls say your account has been compromised and suspicious activity has been detected. It may mention variations of account breaches, and the call will tell you to contact them right away. If you believe that your account has been compromised in any way, the easiest thing to do is to change the password on your account and check the security. Be sure to have two-factor authentication (2FA) enabled for your account if the website or app allows it. Another tip is to check if someone has accessed your account from another location. Services like Google and Amazon keep track of different IP addresses and locations where an account has been accessed.
Other calls may say that suspicious purchases may have been made on your account and request that you must speak with a representative to get things cleared up. This may range from fraudulent purchases, lost packages, or orders they cannot fulfill. For calls like these, it’s very easy to verify that these are scams because you can just log in to your account on the company’s website and see recent orders and the status of that order.
Whatever the exact nature of the call may be, DO NOT follow the instructions on the call. Do not press 1 or any other number; do not call any phone numbers given to you on the call and do not give out any personal information.
If you believe you may have a problem with one of your online accounts with one of these companies, go to the company’s website and directly contact them. Places like Amazon and Apple even have online chats available to contact a representative.
It is important to keep all your personal information to yourself and to be skeptical about any robocalls. Even if the call on the other end is a real person, it’s important to be skeptical about who’s calling you, especially if they want any personal information or account credentials. Being skeptical about who’s on the other end of the phone is a healthy mindset to avoid any identity theft or losing your online accounts.
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