How To Neutralize Scam Calls
Have you ever received a call from a number and a voice you didn’t recognize?
A week ago?
Yesterday?
Or indeed, are they on your line right now?
Who’s calling? What do they want?
Are they saying they’re from your bank, a government agency, or your insurance company? Talking about new fees? “Fixing errors” on your account?
If they’re asking for your personal details and you’re not 100% sure who they are, hang up at once. Now.
Ending the call protects you.
If you stay on the line, you might only realize later that you have handed scammers the keys to your money and privacy.
In Safety Nets: Spot & Stop Fraud, Scams, & Manipulation, let’s talk about scam calls.
We’ll break down the tricks scammers use to fool people. Thereafter we’ll identify real steps you can take to shut them down.
Quick Links:
- The Premises And Essentials
- Common Features Of Scam Calls
- Their Manipulative Tactics
- How To Handle Scam Calls And Frustrate Scammers
- Frequently Asked Questions
Premises And Essentials
Let’s start with the basics.
You might be confused about scam calls. Maybe you just don’t know how they work yet. That’s okay. Let's clear it up.
1. Banks don't ask for sensitive information over the phone:
Your account holder, bank, or insurer, etc, will not call you up and start asking you for personal or financial details OVER THE PHONE.
That's not standard practice and if anyone tries to convince you otherwise, THEY ARE LYING AND TRYING TO SCAM YOU!
2. Official Channels And Procedures:
These are safe and trusted portals which give you confidence and are authentic.
3. Deception
Listen to my personal experience in this context.
I remember occasions when I have received such calls from persons who claimed to be from one of my financial institutions.
There were two guys calling over several days, ostensibly to correct errors in my dates of birth.
Possibly through their nefarious acts of database hacking, somehow they got my date of birth.
Now to pull me in and achieve their aims, they wanted to correct dates of the day and month of birth by getting the real dates from me.
Next thing you know, they wanted to be sure of how much money I had in my account, because (according to them) their system had suffered a glitch and they wanted to be certain that customers' deposits were not adversely affected.
They said that's why they are calling clients.
Sounds reasonable, doesn't it?
Believe me, I fell for that one , so many years ago before I knew better.
Then thank God, they went ahead and spoiled everything by themselves through their overreach.
I mean, they demanded to confirm my number and said they would send a code to me by sms message, I should call out the numbers to them.
Next thing, I received the digits they sent.
Now, give me your undivided attention, because here's where you can start confirming your suspicion.
I will not reveal my bank identity, for obvious reasons.
But the callers claimed to be officials of Bank A (my bank), yet the name or emblem on the sms showed it's from another organization.
It was in actual fact, from a microfinance organisation usually trying to entice people with mouth-watering bonuses and lower rates to collect loans from them.
At that point, as far as I was concerned, the game was up.
I blocked that number on my set.
I thought that had ended it, but believe me, the joke was on me.
Next day, they called again.
This time it was another character on the line using another number, since they couldn't get through with the one I had blocked.
This one was testy, impatient, trying to portray that he was actually doing me a favour by calling.
What did they want now?
They would send me a code and I should input that code into my mobile app so that they could migrate my account for safety.
I cut the call.
They kept calling, I kept ignoring it.
Then, at a point in order to put an end to this stressful charade, I picked it up.
I told the guy quite frankly that I believed he was a fraudster.
I let him understand that I knew he was calling from a microfinance institution and was trying to trick people into transferring their funds or accounts to them.
I warned him I would report their number to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) if they ever called me again.
That was it.
Believe me, since that day, they never called me again.
Common Features Of Scam Calls
What are the regular faces of scam calls?
I mean, do they show trademark characteristics by which we may recognize them?
Yes they do, no matter how hard the practitioner try to disguise it.
They all feature a common thread somehow.
Let's look at some of them presently.
1. Pressurizing
Yeah, piling pressure on people is a common scam style.
They will typically:
- create a nagging sense of urgency.
- Tell you there's a deadline to beat.
- Hammer it in your brain that if you delay you will miss your opportunity.
2. Vague Manner Of Approach
There's always something vague and distance in the way they interact or communicate with you.
It's often in the form of generic (lacking personal touch) greetings.
For example, because they don't have your personal information, they may address you on phone like these:
"Dear customer"
"Hello, bank account holder"
"Dear valued client", etc.
On the contrary, you should note that legitimate financial institutions or banks, which have direct access to clients' information, often address their customers directly by name:
"Hello, am I talking to Mr./Ms./Mrs./Dr. [Last Name]"
"Hi [First Name], this is [Bank Name] calling"
Their Manipulative Tactics
Moving forward, let's identify common tactics they use to manipulate their victims.
1. Impersonation
They claim to be who they are not - in order to deceptively gain your trust, trick you, and defraud you.
That includes telling you that they are from a particular department in a bank or organisation, so as to give themselves fake credibility in your eyes.
2. Threats of Account Closure or Service Disruption:
"We will close your account if you don't verify your information right now."
"Your identity has been stolen, confirm your details now or suffer the consequences."
3. Alarming Language:
To bamboozle you into subscribing to an antivirus product:
"Your computer is infected with a virus, you either subscribe now or lose all your data."
4. Intimidation
In pursuit of illegal fines or fees:
5. Threats Of Arrest
Threats are applied in some cases.
It could be in matters of expired licences, business registration, landed property or assets:
"Am from ... authorities. Am sure you are aware of the new renewal fees, which you have to pay into the official account I just sent you. Today's the closing date and if you don't cooperate, you will face serious repercussions."
How To Neutralize Scam Calls And Frustrate Scammers
Now, let's get to the nitty-gritty of this article.
1. Verify the caller's identity:
First step is to confirm the identity of the caller.
You should know who you are talking to, right?
You can easily do this through these simple steps:
- Ask for the caller's name, department, and a callback number.
- Then hang up and call the official customer service number of the bank, financial institution or organization which the caller claims to represent, in order to confirm their legitimacy.
Very Important:
If you don't already know it, make sure you equip yourself with the essential Customer Service and Complaints numbers, please.
As a matter of fact, all legitimate businesses and organisations openly display their Customer Service lines on their websites and other official portals.
2. Don't Engage Them:
Shine your eye - meaning, be vigilant and very careful.
If you are not sure of who's on the line, don't enter into any discussion with them.
Stay calm.
Beware of suspicious callers and resist providing them with any information.
3. Beware Of Faked "Urgencies"
Now you know that scammers are masters at creating a sense of urgency.
Remember it's a tool they utilize to pressure you into sharing personal information with them.
Be on your guard and refuse to be rushed into doing anything.
Bear in mind that legitimate banks and institutions usually don't rush you into providing sensitive details.
In fact, they always have trusted official channels and secure protocols for resolving customer complaints and challenges, so please use them instead of listening to random callers.
4. Be Pragmatic
If you are still unsure:
- visit the official website of your bank or institutions concerned
- Go to their nearest branch office to make clarifications or for assistance
- Know that banks never ask for sensitive information like passwords or PINs over the phone.
5. Don't Give Away Sensitive Information:
Most definitely, if you are not certain about the caller's authenticity, absolutely refuse to cooperate.
Never provide personal details like passwords, PINs, OTPs (One-Time Passwords), or other sensitive data over the phone.
6. Look For Red Flags
Listen closely to the caller.
Pay attention to their tone, language, grammar, etc, and check for red flags or warning signs.
Scammers' talk or communications are often spiced with bad grammar and other linguistic errors.
Also, don't forget that legitimate representatives of financial institutions and other organizations typically communicate professionally, while scammers most usually may not.
7. Alert Relevant Authorities:
Once you have suspicions about a caller, report it to the anti-corruption agency.
That may as well be the following:
- Complaint or Fraud line, or Customer Service, of your financial institution
- Government anti- fraud agency
Conclusion
In conclusion, calls from unknown persons or unverified sources can have security implications.
It's a hotbed for scammers and answering them without taking precautions is actively not advisable.
Doing that can open you to risks of divulging personal or confidential information to unauthorized persons (especially scammers).
That can also open access to your finances and render you vulnerable to fraudulent activities.
Instructively, Scam calls lose power when you apply appropriate Safety Nets, such as verifying the caller, rejecting urgency, spotting red lines like OTP requests, and alerting authorities if needed.
That’s how to frustrate scammers...
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I safely verify if a caller is a real bank representative?
Ask for the caller's name, department, and a callback number. Then, hang up immediately and call the official customer service number listed on your bank's official website to check their legitimacy.
Why do phone scammers always try to create a sudden sense of urgency?
Scammers use fake urgencies as a high-pressure tool to bypass your logic and force you into sharing sensitive information. Real banks will never rush you into providing details.
What should I do if I am still unsure about a phone call from my bank?
Be pragmatic and refuse to cooperate on the phone. Take control by visiting the nearest physical branch office or checking the official website directly to get proper clarifications.
How can I spot a scammer simply by listening to how they talk?
Listen closely to their tone, language, and grammar. Scammers' communications are often spiced with bad grammar and linguistic errors, whereas real bank agents communicate professionally.
What are the most sensitive details I must never share over a phone call?
Your secret bank account passwords or mobile app passwords Your ATM card PINs or transaction PINs Your secret OTPs (One-Time Passwords) received on your phone Your personal identity numbers or other sensitive financial records
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