FBI WARNS PHONE USERS TO HANG UP CALL IMMEDIATELY WHEN THEY HEAR THIS
The FBI warns that most people with smartphones are at serious risk from a new, nasty scam that has surfaced. A new scam involving a specific phone call and some clever tech tricks has federal agents on edge. Although scam calls are not new, this one is especially egregious because, according to the FBI, many Android and iPhone users may find it difficult to recognize the scammer as they approach.
This is because the scam can be very convincing. After all, the con artists have been able to "spoof" the caller ID number. It poses as a technical support line, a bank, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), or even your local police department. The victims are then deceived into transferring funds from their accounts or setting up harmful software on their devices. To give you less time to think, the scammer will, as is common with such attacks, make you believe the situation is urgent. Furthermore, if you are even aware that malware exists, getting rid of it can be a complete nightmare.
Consider this officer's stern caution regarding QR codes. A stranger can get full access to your phone with just one scan of a harmless code. That includes your phone numbers, pictures, credit card information, and online banking details.
In any case, it's very easy to follow the FBI's advice to safeguard your device and yourself from a costly error. Hang up the phone if you get an unsolicited call from someone you haven't called first, even if it seems like a reliable source. According to the FBI, there is so little chance that such a call is genuine that the risk is not worth it. Scammers may get in touch with you and claim that your bank account is being targeted or that you must send money to prevent police arrest.
These kinds of situations have arisen for police departments from Virginia to New York, as victims have reported that scammers have been calling them pretending to be local law enforcement and forcing them to send money. Forbes reports that police have warned that "this type of scam has occurred throughout the region, including Alexandria, and across the country" and that the new scam campaign has been ongoing for a few weeks.
According to the force, scams can take many different forms, but typically, the caller poses as a law enforcement official and tells the victim—falsely—that a warrant has been issued because they missed a court date, failed to appear for jury duty, owe money, or that they will be arrested if they don't pay immediately. Though scammers have been known to "use the name of actual deputies or police officers" and have been able to conceal their phone number "to make it look like they are calling from a local enforcement agency," officers say this scenario doesn't occur.
Similarly, the FBI advises you to hang up and call your local law enforcement to explain the situation if you get a call from a police officer requesting money or making some other strange request. Similar warnings have been sent by the CBP regarding a "spike in phone calls" from worried individuals who received calls from con artists impersonating CBP staff members "seeking information about suspected illegal activity." According to CBP, it "will not call a suspect or a victim requesting money or social security numbers" or "promise money for information or threaten citizens that law enforcement is on the way."
