AG Talks Top Phone Scams
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe office of Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller says a scam involving crooks posing as IRS officials was the most common telephone privacy complaint of the year. In all, more than 3,000 Hoosiers filed phone complaints with Zoeller’s office in 2015.
Other complaints commonly reported include false credit services and tech support scams.
"With Caller ID spoofing and other deceptive tactics, it is easy for fraudsters to convince people they are someone legitimate, even a government agency. The best protection against phone scams is simply not do any type of business or give out personal information over the phone unless you initiate the call yourself."
Zoeller’s office supplied the following tips:
- Don’t let a telephone solicitor pressure you to make an immediate decision.
- Ask for a caller’s contact information and tell them you will call them back. Verify that the number they give you is tied to a legitimate company or agency by doing your own research.
- Know that most government entities, including the IRS, will not initiate contact over the phone. Additionally, they will never ask you for credit card, debit card or prepaid card information over the phone.
- Do not wire any money or make payments over the phone unless you have independently verified the caller.
- Check unfamiliar companies with the AG’s Office or the Better Business Bureau before agreeing to a purchase.
- Hang up on recorded message calls or “robocalls.” Don’t press any numbers.
- Additionally, Zoeller urged Hoosiers to take advantage of available call-blocking options to help stop scam calls.
More information on filing a complaint can be found by clicking here.