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Legitimate organizations will never request personal information, payment details, or funds transfers through surprise phone calls, and will especially not demand payment right then and there. Any caller requesting financial information or trying to pressure you to take immediate action is a scammer. No bank nor law enforcement agency does business that way, and any legitimate concerns would be sent through written communication or a request to visit a location in person, or will direct you to an official website. Additionally, it is best to not press any buttons during these calls, as that can be enough to tell scammers that they’ve found an active number and can send more scams your way.
Protective Measures Beyond Hanging Up
While immediately ending the call is the first step in protecting yourself, the FBI also recommends other measures for those who have already encountered these scams. If you think a scammer tried to contact you, reach out to the institution the scammer pretended to be from (using the phone number listed on their official website). Additionally, report the incident to local law enforcement and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center to help authorities track patterns and help protect other iPhone users from similar attacks.
