Have you just received a phone call that appears to be from your own number? If so, it’s likely a spoofed call that a scammer has set up in order to get you to answer their phone scam.
I can personally attest to this clever trick. I just recently got a call from my cell phone that claimed to be from my own number. Once I answered, I heard a message in an automated male voice, stating:
“Your account has been compromised by [Your Wireless Phone Provider Name]. At the tone, please enter the last four digits of the main account holder’s social security number.”
There are a few ways to tell that this is a scam.
- First, robocalls aren’t a common way for brands to contact their customers
- Next, the call never personally identifies whose account they’re calling about, shifting the burden of identification to the listener — this allows the scammer to record a one-size-fits-all message
- Finally, it asks for four social security digits — personal information that a scammer often fishes for.
To Learn Why and How it Works, Plus Best Practices for Phone Scams