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What is a Phone Scam?

People lose a lot of money to phone scams — sometimes their life savings. Scammers have figured out countless ways to cheat you out of your money over the phone. In some scams, they act friendly and helpful. In others, they might threaten or try to scare you. One thing you can count on is that a phone scammer will try to get your money or your personal information to commit identity theft. Don’t give it to them. Here’s what you need to know. Continue reading from the Federal Trade Commission

Red Flags

These are some key points the scammer may bring up that you should be wary of:

• You are contacted out of the blue.
• You are required to send money upfront in order to receive a prize.
• You are asked to send money via a wire transfer or “reload pack.”
• You are asked to provide personal or financial information.
• You are asked to keep it a secret.
• You are asked to act quickly.
• You receive payment in the form of a cashier's check or money order
• It sounds too good to be true. Continue reading from the Office of Minnesota Attorney General

Who To Contact For Help or To Report a Scam

National Do Not Call Registry 

Connecticut State Department of Consumer Protection

FCC Consumer Complaint Center

Westport Police Department Non-Emergency Line: 203-341-6000

Additional Online Resources

Stop Unwanted Robocalls and Texts (Federal Communications Commission)

4 Tricks Phone Scammers are Using in 2022 - and How to Stop Them (USA Today)

2022 IRS Scams and How to Avoid Them (Neighbors Federal Credit Union)

Top 7 Financial Scam Predictions for 2022 (Her Money)

How to Protect Yourself from Common Scams (Consumer Reports)