The telephone is probably the number 1 or number 2 device used by criminals (email being a close second) Make sure you are using the telephone on your own terms.
Guard What you say:
Never tell someone something over the phone you don’t want a stranger to know. If someone asks for the man of the house they should not be told that there isn’t one or that he is out of town. It is always better to take a message and say they are asleep or in the shower. This is imperative to teach children.
Beware of Telemarketing Scams
Never give out any financial information over the phone. Anything that requires you to send money to get more money back is most likely a scam, and anyone saying you need to act now is probably using high pressure sales techniques. It is best to be on the “do not call list”
A person may also impersonate a peace officer or oil and gas employee or somebody else that they think will trick you into giving out your personal information. Identity theft is becoming a larger and larger problem each year. Protecting your credit rating and identity is slowly becoming a full time job.
If you believe you are a target of privacy or identity theft it may worth investing in a phone tap detector or noise generator or audio jammer. Of course its much cheaper to just not give out information over the phone.
If you always check references of strangers who call before giving them information you will lessen you chances of being victimized by everything from home invasions to identity theft.
A quick phone safety checklist:
- Call people back to help verify their legitimacy. If they say they are a police officer, call them back at their station.
- A person who calls and hangs up may be attempting to check if the premises are occupied, or may just have the wrong number. Either way its a good reminder to check your home’s security is in order. Take a look around at any open doors or windows and secure them.
- Never admit when you are home alone
- If you think you are a potential target consider investing in a voice security device. A voice changer can be purchased fairly cheaply these days.
- Never discontinue your phone service when you are away on holiday
- Use an answering service to screen calls and make sure you record the greeting using “WE” instead of “I”
- Never record specific information on your answering machine about when you will be returning or how long you will be away.
- Do not talk to obscene callers. Report them.
Follow a few of these simple phone safety tips can prevent the devastation of identity theft fraud and may even save your life.
The Telephone is a great communication device for keeping in touch with people. Just remember to use it wisely.