Layers Of Security

Here is a list of things you can implement that will add a layer of security essentially reducing the odds of scammers reaching out to you:

• Make a 2nd email account separate from your personal email. Especially if your personal email is connected to banking, social media, and other personal entities. Use this 2nd email for less important things unassociated with personal sign-up prompts.

• Never give out your personal phone number. Utilize Google Voice if needed. Its free and you can consolidate online marketing sign-up tactics to your Google Voice phone number. Furthermore, when a caller seems suspicious you can report as spam. This can potentially black list the caller forcing them to pay for new phone numbers.

• If its too good to be true, it most likely is. For example an investment scam; often times they'll entice people with an unrealistic return on investment in a short period of time. Use common sense and lean into your gut feeling.

• Test bounds, ask questions, avoid being too quick to release information about yourself. It doesn't take much for a scammer to break character and address you unprofessionally. A legit company has higher odds of keeping professionalism in the equation.

• There are no official companies in existence that will call you blindly to GIVE YOU free money.

• Use a VPN, especially in public WIFI hotspots or even WIFI connections unassociated with your own.

• Always report spam/scams if the option is available. This will reduce the odds of continual spam/scam calls.

Scammer Attributes:

India, Nigeria, Philippines, UK

Unfortunately we have to be completely transparent about this topic. Scammers in India are the MOST common telemarketing scam here in America. Common sense should tell you the IRS is not calling you to GIVE YOU MONEY.. ever! Furthermore foreigners are not delegated to represent an official American Federal Entity or an American Company with the exception of outsourced support initiatives. In the case of outsourced support, the customer only encounters this when calling in search of support. Even within these bounds, it is still possible to encounter a scam. Avoid giving out personal information overall unless you've verified the callers association.

Some scammers are very savvy and will create websites that look and seem official. Pay attention to the address or URL link. Take notice to contact information, phone numbers, email addresses, and location. Do research on any information provided on a website. Most websites require a terms and conditions page or privacy policy page. If the contact information is unavailable or removed from these pages this definitely qualifies as a RED FLAG. No contact information implemented on these pages defeats the purpose of having them in the first place.