In recent years, the telephone scams have increased considerably, affecting thousands of people who, without realizing it, fall into increasingly sophisticated traps. Cybercriminals have perfected their techniques, using fake phone numbers and deceptive tactics to persuade their victims to provide personal information or make payments.
The rise of technology has made it easier access to sensitive dataallowing scammers to create seemingly legitimate and urgent situations that confuse people. Nowadays, receiving an unknown call can be a cause for concern, as many of them are related to fraud attemptsCriminals use strategies such as impersonating bank employees, service companies or even family members struggling to achieve their goal.
Beware of this scam that can steal your money
Phone scams continue to evolve, taking advantage of technology to deceive more people every day. One of the most reported figures recently is 919973583associated with a fraud that left many victims without a euro in their bank account.
Fraudsters pose as representatives of a telephone company and use personal information to gain the victims’ trust. They often claim that the line’s contract is about to expire or that their rate will increase if immediate action is not taken. This tactic tricks people into provide sensitive data or to follow malicious links, which makes it easier to steal money.
To protect yourself from these scams, it is essential Do not answer calls from unknown numbersespecially if you ask for personal or banking information. If you answer, never share confidential data and be wary of threats or the urgent tone of the call. Authorities, such as the National Police, have stepped up their warnings about this type of fraud, and many users have already warned of the aggressive tactics that fraudsters use when they don’t get the desired response. Ignoring these calls and reporting the number can help prevent more people from falling for these scams.
Wangiri, the telephone fraud against which the OCU warns
THE Phone scam in Wangiri It relies on generating missed calls from international numbers, so that the victim, when seeing the missed call, returns it. These numbers are usually associated with premium rates, which means that when you call back, high charges are generated on the user’s phone bill. Fraudsters use various tactics to keep people on the line for as long as possible, such as holding music or recordings simulating waiting situations.
Countries like Western Samoa (+685), Tunisia (+216) or Ivory Coast (+225) These are examples of prefixes from which these fraudulent calls usually come. Therefore, it is essential to avoid forwarding calls to unknown numbers, especially if they have international prefixes. In addition, it is recommended to check these numbers in Internet search engines or on pages specialized in fraud reports.
To protect yourself, it is important to keep your phone number private on social media and to check your phone bills regularly. unrecognized fees. If fraud is detected, it is crucial to report it to the relevant authorities, such as the police or INCIBE, and to collect evidence such as call logs and invoices.
Tips to avoid falling into the trap
THE telephone scams They have grown alarmingly in recent years, adapting to new technologies and using increasingly sophisticated tactics to deceive people. To reduce the risks of falling into one of these traps, it is important to take certain precautions and always be on the lookout for suspicious calls.
Do not answer unknown numbers This is one of the first steps to take. If you do not recognize the number that is calling you, it is advisable not to answer, because if the call is important, they will probably try to contact you again or leave a message. In addition, many of these calls come from international numbers or with unknown prefixes, which is already an indication of possible fraud.
Check the number on the Internet is another effective strategy. There are online platforms where users report suspicious numbers, which will allow you to know if the number that called you has already been identified as fraudulent. This is essential before returning a call.
never share personal or financial data by telephone. Fraudsters often pretend to be representatives of banks or companies to obtain confidential information. Unless you made the call yourself and are sure of the identity of the other person, it is best not to provide this type of information.
Finally, it is essential to be wary of urgent calls. Fraudsters often put pressure on their victims create a sense of urgencyclaiming that your account is in danger or that you have won a prize. In these cases, it is best to hang up and contact the company or entity directly to verify the information.
