5 tips to avoid phone fraud

• It’s extremely common for scammers to attempt to get your personal information for fraudulent activities or identity theft over the phone.
  
  
• Here are some tips on what to look out for to avoid falling victim to phone fraud.

What is phone fraud?

Phone fraud is a type of scam where criminals try to get you to give them your personal, banking or security information via a phone call or text message. They want to use this information to get money, steal your identity or do this to other people using your name. They may also ask you to make a money transfer to them or tell you that you have won a prize and need to send money to release it.

They will either call you (called vishing) or text you (called smishing) claiming to be someone from your bank, a credit card or utility company (gas, electricity or internet provider), or a parcel delivery service. These criminals are learning quickly, and their claims can be extremely convincing – so it’s important to know what to do if you suspect you’ve been contacted by someone attempting phone fraud.

Why do you need to know about phone fraud?

There are serious personal consequences to falling victim to phone fraud, including losing money through gaining access to your bank account, having your identity stolen and your credit score damaged.

If you suspect you’ve fallen victim to a scam, take screen shots of any texts or emails you have received, contact your financial institution to ask them to stop any further transactions and contact your local Garda station. 

Here are five tips that could help you avoid phone fraud.

1. Be wary of calls from private, unknown or international numbers. It’s fine to answer the phone but if the person starts asking for personal or private details, it’s time to say NO. Private information includes your name, address, date of birth, family details, bank account numbers, PIN and Passwords. If they start getting pushy or agitated with you, just hang up the phone.

   
   
   
2.  If you’re unsure, take the time to check. A genuine caller would have no problem with you validating who they are before you proceed with the call. You can make sure that they are representing the organisation they claim by:
   
    - Taking their number and calling them back once you’ve validated who they are
   
    - Looking up the organisation’s number in the phone book or online and calling them directly
   
    Don’t call the number they’re calling you from if it is visible on your phone, as this could be fake – and engaging with the suspected scammer again could put you more at risk. If they’ve called you on your landline, make sure they’ve hung up before you make any calls to verify their identity. Listen for a dial tone or call from your mobile phone if you can.
   
   
3. Never click links or respond to suspicious texts. Text scams often ask you to click on a link for a package you have being delivered or to confirm your details. Do NOT click the link and delete the text if you suspect it’s from a scammer.
   
   
4. Stop, listen and think. Scammers often try to scare you into action by saying you’re at risk of a fine, or of losing something if you don’t give them what they’re asking for. They might want you to ‘verify’ ‘update’ or ‘reactivate’ your account. Their sense of urgency can often cause confusion and worry. Don’t panic. They don’t want to give you the time to consider the consequences of giving your personal details. A legitimate organisation would not treat their customers this way.
   
   
5. Your bank would NEVER ask you for sensitive information over the phone. An Garda Síochána, a government department or your bank will never call or text you to ask for your PIN number or password. They would never ask you to transfer money, or come to your home to collect your payment card, cheque book or cash. If anyone asks for this, they are trying to scam you.

You can find current scam warnings and more general information on fraud on the Garda website.