Someone Calling You with A Phone Offer to Fix Your Computer? It's Probably a SCAM

When you answer a phone call, you may be slightly wary these days, and with good reason. There are scammers galore trying to get at your money or your personal information over the phone, so learn to get super-selfish, even if someone is calling to ask for money for starving kids in India. You can always donate to any charity yourself, you don't need a phone call for that.

20 signs the call is probably a scam:

1 You Got Selected to receive money, from out of thin air.

2 You've Won A Prize ... and never entered a contest.

3 Foreign Lottery Drawing - which is illegal--so even if you did win one, you can't collect on it.

4 Purchase and Get a Free "anything". You've got to give them your credit or debit card number and you don't have a clue who they are.

5 The government will NOT call you if you owe taxes, they will send you a letter and it will be a .GOV letter, not a letter from a .com, .net, .info, or any others.

6 One-ringer call. DO NOT RETURN IT and dial back. The longer you hold the phone, the more money they are charging to your phone number.

7 You're a VICTIM of FRAUD. You weren't before, but if you stay on the line with them, you will be.

8 They offer to repair your computer, so you do a "shared screen" and pay them money. #NOT

9 That damnable EXTENDED WARRANTY ON YOUR VEHICLE CALL. Just call the place where you bought the car.

10 They don't answer questions YOU ask. Hang up.

11 They're collecting for a charity. Get the name of the charity and tell them you will call them yourself.

12 They tell you you're going to be arrested. The real authorities never call you first, they just show up with cuffs and a warrant. Why would they warn you to get out of town before they show up? The entire point is to take you by surprise.

13 They demand personal info over the phone. That's always a NO!

14 They're a debt collector and you don't have a reason to care. Even if you do, get their name and tell them you will call them back and then go look up the name and call them back to verify. You probably won't call them back, but don't give out any information over the phone regardless.

15 They say they've kidnapped your loved one or a friend. Don't give them ransom money - contact the friend or relative and then report the call to the FBI.

16 They want you to invest in "anything." That's a NO. Always.

17 They want your credit or debit card number. Tell them to go get a real job and stop stealing from people.

18 High pressure tactics...you shouldn't even let that happen on a car dealership floor with a live person face to face, let alone a phone dialer.

19 You are calling YOU. Don't bother answering a call that looks like you're dialing yourself. 

20 The phone scammer is a sweety-pie with slippery paws. Just hang up, and don't even bother to tell them to have a nice day. 

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