BBB Tip of the Week: The Evolution of phone scams – The Spokesman-Review

Did you ever make a phone call through a switch board or party line? Maybe you had a rotary dial phone with a twenty-five foot cord you would stretch into your bedroom and close the door to talk with a friend. Then came call-waiting, caller ID and three-way calling. The thought of being able to carry a phone anywhere and talk to someone across the world seemed more than futuristic thirty years ago.

Technology and devices have changed dramatically since Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in the late 1800s. Marketing products and services have evolved equally fast. False advertisements outlining the benefits of rattlesnake oil date back to the same era. Eventually, the snake oil salesman would use the telephone as a tool to scam people out of their money.

Today scams and fraud are more prevalent than ever because of technology advances and a globalized community. Phone scams have made the same strides in growth.

The BBB wants you to know the latest evolution of phone scams:

Spoofing. A call originating from anywhere in the country made by a scammer attempting to con people out of money and personal information.

Neighbor-hooding. A call originated by voice over internet protocol (VoIP) and appears to be coming from a nearby area code. Recipients tend to answer the phone because they think it is local.

Impersonation. The ability to access a contact list and use a number as their identity, or impersonate a public entity (IRS, federal agency, etc.) and make calls from that specific number. Imagine sitting with your daughter in the living room and your wireless phone lights up with your daughters phone number, however she isnt calling you.

Most phones today provide a digital display of the origination of the call. If you receive a call from outside of your area or locally that you do not recognize, do not answer. If it is important, the caller will provide a message. Keep in mind, even scammers leave messages to call them back. Listen carefully and if you are unsure, research the company by consulting the BBB directory or search for the company online and contact them through the information listed online to return the call. If you have been contacted by what you feel is a scam, report it to the BBB Scam Tracker at http://www.bbb.org/scamtracker and the FTC. Include the caller ID phone number, phone service provider or wireless carrier, date and time of call and additional details if possible.

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BBB Tip of the Week: The Evolution of phone scams - The Spokesman-Review