As scammers become more sophisticated and their tactics more compelling, it has become very difficult to know what’s real and what is a scam, but we have picked out five key things to look out for to help keep you safe.

The first thing that should raise suspicion is the unsolicited phone call itself as this is very unusual, although it’s not impossible that it could be legitimate. To help you to find out if the caller is who they say they are, try to find out information that only someone who works for that company/organisation would know, rather than allowing them to ask you to reveal any information first.

If the caller is unable to identify themselves, or provide you with any evidence that they are who they say they are this is a big red flag and you should consider ending the call.

The phrase ‘if it’s too good to be true it usually is’ can definitely be applied to scam calls. Phone calls offering you high financial and/or other kinds of rewards out of the blue are usually the ones you need to watch out for and are generally some form of scam.

Often scammers will use threatening or intimidating behaviour to try and pressure you in to making a quick decision. Don’t let yourself be pressurised in to making decisions because of someone at the other end of the phone, if you feel uncomfortable, end the call.

A scammer will always be looking to obtain either personal or financial information that they can use and if they begin asking questions relating to either of these this is usually a telltale sign it’s a scam. Banks, utility companies, law enforcement and other similar organisations will not call you out of the blue and ask for this kind of information over the phone, so always be wary.

Keep these tips in mind and if you suspect that any of these things are happening to you over the phone then remain vigilant and calm and follow our advice to remain safe.

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