The Federal Trade Commission has recently received numerous reports of scam artists pretending to be cable and internet companies. These fraudsters are so good at deception that even the wealthiest consumer can be fooled.
Despite call blocking apps, software, and caller ID, scam artists are conning hard-working people like you and me out of our hard-earned cash over the phone.
CLICK TO GET THE CYBERGUY KuRT NEWSLETTER WITH QUICK DRIVES, TECHNICAL REVIEWS, SECURITY ALERTS AND HOW TO MAKE YOU SMARTER
A burner phone can help you avoid calls made to unknown numbers.
(iStock)
A woman recently emailed me saying that this happened to her and her husband:
“We received a scam phone call yesterday addressing my husband by name and claiming to be Cox Cable. We had just canceled Cox cable TV two or three days prior, which this caller private about it. They offered a 40% discount if we reconnected. I asked about the cost, but before he would give me the cost, he wanted to verify our account and asked for my mother’s maiden name. That’s when the red flag up I said, ‘I want to call you back in 15 minutes.’, intending to check the phone number and call Cox Cable. The caller replied that he would call me back. When he did I googled the number and called Cox Cable, I realized it was, in fact, a scam call. The caller didn’t call back. I followed up with a call to my elderly parents to warn them about the these types of scams.”
“The question in my mind is, how did they know that we had just canceled cable service with Cox Cable after having it for the past 11 years? Is there a breach in Cox Cable’s data system? “
GEN Z DOESN’T SHOW ON THE PHONE – NOW, ‘THE PHONE LADY’ IS ON A MISSION
How to tell if you are being scammed
Scammers find it easier to prey on their victims and willingly give out their personal information that they trust such as your cable or internet provider. And sadly, more and more scam artists tend to prey on people age 65 and older because:
- They have good credit
- They are usually financially secure
- They are reliable
CALIFORNIA DEPOSITORS SAYS ‘FIND MY IPHONE’ FEATURE HELPED SAVE WOMEN AFTER 200-ft. PLUMET
Photo of a woman on the phone who may be talking to scammers asking for personal information.
(Fox News)
Fortunately, there are easy red flags to look out for to determine if the caller is really who they say they are:
- If they ask for personal information over the phone – Service providers will never contact you asking for this.
- It’s from an unknown phone number- if the number is not one of your contacts or you don’t know them, they are most likely a scam artist.
Unfortunately, some scam artists are advanced enough to make their caller IDs appear as if they are, in fact, the company they claim to be. If they’re legit, they’ll leave a message to call you back with the number, allowing you to do a Google search and make sure the number is safe. They are probably scam artists if they don’t leave a message.
HOW CAN YOU PROTECT YOUR CHILDREN OR Android Android 24/7
How the scammers got the personal information of the woman and her husband
It is alarming that the scam artist appeared to know the woman’s mother’s maiden name and had just canceled her cable subscription.
Mother’s maiden name is one of the most common security questions people choose to authenticate their identity, should they be locked out of their account. Understandable because this is an easy question to remember; However, it is also easy to track down, as a simple internet search can reveal it. Data brokers or “people search” sites collect your information, including your birthday, phone number, and address, from various websites, then sell it to people who are searching for you online for a small fee.
ONE CLICK AND NEW BREAKTHROUGH AZOV could clear all your data
An upset couple is probably upset about the scam.
(Fox News)
Fortunately, there are ways to handle your personal information on the internet. The surest way is to invest in a reliable transfer service as covered in our article here.
As for how they knew about the woman and her husband canceling her subscription, that is strange. It is not impossible to think that there could be prying eyes in your e-mail that could show you canceling your cable. You might consider locking your email with a secure email account if these calls keep coming. Check out my #1 choice for secure email at CyberGuy.com/Mail.
If you have a story like this you’d like to share, head over to CyberGuy.com and let us know.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS App
In the meantime, be sure to sign up for our free CyberGuy Report newsletter at CyberGuy.com/Newsletter.
Copyright 2023 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. CyberGuy.com articles and content may contain affiliate links that earn a commission when purchases are made.
