(WJW) – Do you answer phone numbers you don’t know?
There’s a way to spot some scammers, especially if they’re calling from 5 certain area codes.
Social Catfish, a company that provides online identity verification, updated an article in September on top 5 area codes you should never answer, based on what they call “scammer area codes” often associated with fraudulent activity.
- 268
- 876
- 473
- 649
- 284
Scammer area codes often use these numbers to bypass caller ID blocking, Social Catfish reports.
Scammers can also use what’s called “spoofing” to make their calls appear as if they are coming from a legitimate number.
If you do pick up a call, here are some red flags that you may be getting scammed from the Ohio Attorney General’s office.
- Payment is requested by gift card, cryptocurrency, peer-to-peer payment, wire transfer or prepaid money card.
- You are pressured to act immediately.
- You’re told not to tell friends or family about the conversation.
- You’re told you’ve won something you didn’t enter to win, or you’re unexpectedly being given money
Are you registered on the Do Not Call List? Once you register, most telemarketers are required to stop calling you within 31 days.
The Federal Communications Commission says spam calls are its top consumer complaint.
Social Catfish says it’s important to remember that scammers are constantly devising new ways to trick people, so it’s always best to be cautious and hang up and investigate the number before providing any information.
