Telephone Scams

Never give any details over the telephone about your credit or debit cards unless either, you have initiated the call, or you are talking to someone you know and trust.  If you are asked for card information and are not sure if the caller is who they say they are, hang up and call back yourself using the telephone number you have a record of, not the number the caller might have given you.

Banks and credit card companies will never telephone you to confirm confidential personal and financial information, so refuse to talk with anyone seeking this information from you, who says they are from a bank or credit card provider.

Some scams are set up to get you to divulge the three digit number on the rear of your credit card. Again, tell this to no-one. Legitimate financial or other businesses will not ask for this information, either in person or by telephone. It will only be asked of you by the electronic systems showing on your computer screen, when you are buying online.

Telephone scams go digital.

Another scam going around is one whereby you receive an ordinary call on your cell phone but all you hear is a recorded message. The voice claims to be from a well known bank that wishes to make a security announcement. If you don’t have an account with the bank it’s fairly obvious the call is suspect, but if you do happen to bank with them, you tend to listen.

You are asked to press any button on your phone. At this point you should hang up. DO NOT be tempted to hear any more of the message, even if you realise it is an attempt at fraud. Terminate the call immediately. To proceed further you may be putting yourself at risk.

These messages are sent out by the thousand, so some of them are going to reach customers of the actual bank mentioned.

If you have responded to such a call, and followed instructions to enter your bank account and pin numbers, passwords or any information confidential to you, contact your bank immediately, as you may have unwittingly compromised your banking arrangements.