Telephone fraud prevention

1.- Recognize scam attempts and end all communication with the scammer.

2.-Be wary of unsolicited phone calls, emails, and offers of door-to-door services.

3.- Thoroughly investigate travel offers, charitable organizations and the business and investment opportunities they offer you over the phone.

4.- Resist the pressure to act quickly. Scammers create a sense of urgency to produce fear and entice victims to act immediately. Call the police immediately if you feel there is danger to you or a loved one.

5.- Search online for contact information (name, email, phone number, addresses) and the proposed offer. Other people have likely posted information online about people and companies trying to run scams.

6.- Never give or send personal identification information, money, jewelry, gift cards, checks or transfer information to unverified people, companies or alleged government entities.

7.- Legitimate customer service, security, technical support or banking companies will not initiate unsolicited contact with individuals; nor will they demand immediate payments through prepaid cards, bank transfers, cryptocurrency or cash sent by mail, much less will they send personnel to collect bills supposedly out of circulation.

8.-Never give remote access to devices or accounts to unknown and unverified people.

INSTRUCT AND PROTECT YOUR ELDERLY ADULTS AND YOUR CHILDREN

Telephone fraud preventive measures

9.- Take precautions to protect your identity if a criminal gains access to your device or account.

10.- Immediately contact your financial institutions to protect and monitor your accounts and personal information for suspicious activity.

11.- Legitimate lotteries and their beneficiaries do not need to pay taxes or fees in advance to claim a prize or inheritance.

12.- Be careful with what you publish and make public online. Scammers may use details shared on social media and dating sites to better understand you and target you.

13.- Government or law enforcement officials will not demand payment through cryptocurrency, prepayments, cards, bank transfers or cash, nor will they contact you by telephone to notify you that you are under an alleged investigation.

14.- Do not provide access to or grant access to alleged bank or government employees who request personal information or the delivery of effects.

15.- Register your telephone number in the National Registry of your country “Do Not Call” or similar. That won't stop the calls, but it will make them easier to detect.

16.- Hang up on automated calls such as: “enter your name and ID” and “enter 1”.

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