My parents have been receiving an increasing number of phishing and scam calls, which has been quite stressful for them. While they do their best to be cautious, many of these calls sound very genuine and appear to come from legitimate numbers. I'm looking for some practical steps to help protect them that don't require constant monitoring or complex settings.
5 Answers
The key to avoiding scams is to keep a healthy skepticism about any caller. Here are a few tips:
1. Assume that any unknown caller could be a scammer.
2. Never share personal details if they ask for confirmation; instead, require them to verify theirs first.
3. If giving info is necessary, call them back using a number you know is valid. This applies to emails too!
It's best not to say "yes" during these calls; scammers can twist that. If they answer, they can say something like "Hold on, I need to check in with my child who works with the district attorney" and then hang up.
Always treat unknown callers as potential scammers. If the call is important, the agency will leave a voicemail or send an official letter instead.
One straightforward approach is to block calls from anyone not in their contact list. This way, they can filter out most unwanted calls right from the start.
I stick to only answering calls from my contact list, and I avoid returning missed calls from unknown numbers. California has a new service to help manage this, but with existing data leaks, it's tough. Better to ignore than engage, really!
Absolutely, it's all about being cautious! I also tell my family to hang up immediately if they feel uncomfortable.