By Myriam Cruz
You’ve likely received a robocall before. A recorded voice offers an unbeatable deal or claims to be someone they are not. In a new twist, scammers are using hotly debated political issues to grab your attention. These con artists take advantage of “buzzy,” emotionally-charged news stories to trick unsuspecting consumers into falling for a scam.
How the scam works: You receive a robocall and answer the phone. A recorded voice – perhaps even one that sounds just like President Trump, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, or another prominent politician – explains the purpose of the call. According to one local news story, the border wall is currently a popular topic for these calls. As the 2020 election campaign heats up, other topics will undoubtedly be used as “bait” to grab interest.
If you offer to donate, your money won’t go to support the political cause. Instead, the phony caller will make off with your money…and your personal information that can be used for identity theft.
How to Avoid Robocall Scams
Screen calls. If a call comes in from a number you don’t recognize, don’t answer. Even if the number looks familiar, be wary. Check the number on WhitePages.com (a BBB Accredited Business) to see if it’s been flagged with a fraud alert.
Don’t respond to unsolicited calls. If you receive an unsolicited call that seems to come from a legitimate business, be cautious. Scammers can fake caller ID, and businesses are only allowed to call you if you give them permission. If someone is calling you out of the blue, it’s most likely a scam. The best practice is to hang up the phone without interacting with the caller. Don’t “press 1 to be removed from our list;” that just confirms to the scammer that your number is good.
Register with the Do Not Call Registry. Registering won’t prevent scammers from calling, but it will reduce the number of legitimate marketing calls you receive, which will make it easier to identify the fraudulent ones. If you live in the U.S., call 888-382-1222 or register online at donotcall.gov.
For more information: To learn more about how to avoid robocall scams, read BBB.org/RoboCall. If you’ve been the victim of a robocall scam, report it on the BBB.org/ScamTracker. By doing so, you can help others protect themselves from falling prey to similar scams. Learn more about scams at BBB.org/ScamTips and learn how to avoid them at BBB.org/AvoidScams. For assistance, contact the Better Business Bureau Serving Southern Arizona at (520) 888-5353.
