Telephone scams have been around for years, even before the birth of the internet, and they are just as dangerous as their online counterparts. Because modern telephone networks use digital technology, it is easy for cybercriminals to manipulate what appears in the Caller ID to trick you into thinking you are receiving a call from a trusted source. This tactic is called “spoofing.”
Listen for these red flags:
◆ A sense of urgency. The caller wants you to act immediately or something bad will happen.
◆ The caller advises payments be made using gift cards or prepaid debit card.
◆ You are asked to download and install programs onto your computer to fix the “problems” the caller claims your computer has.
Some Safety tips:
◆ Do not provide any personal or bank information to the caller or confirm any information.
◆ Do not respond to any voice messages to contact a telephone number the caller provided without checking first by calling the customer service number on the company or government website.
◆ Do not download any programs the caller says you need, or confirm your computer’s type.
You can find more tips on these websites:
www.bit.ly/HawaiianElectric_FraudProtection
THE DEPARTMENT OF THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY
1060 Richards St., Honolulu HI 96813
808-768-7400 | Office hrs: Mon – Fri, 7:45 am – 4:30 pm
www.honoluluprosecutor.org/contact-us/
Leave a Reply