Copper Valley Telecom has been made aware of recent phishing scams involving caller ID spoofing using CVT phone numbers. If you believe you have received one of these calls, you can file a report with the Federal Communications Commission.
The Federal Trade Commission has provided the tips below on how to protect yourself against telephone phishing scams:
Do
- Register your phone number with the National Do Not Call Registry. You may register online or by calling 1.888.382.1222. If you still receive telemarketing calls after registering, there’s a good chance that the calls are scams.
- Be wary of callers claiming that you’ve won a prize or vacation package.
- Hang up on suspicious phone calls.
- Be cautious of caller ID. Scammers can change the phone number that shows up on your caller ID screen. This is called “spoofing.”
- Independently research business opportunities, charities, or travel packages that the caller offers.
Don’t
- Don’t give in to pressure to take immediate action.
- Don’t say anything if a caller starts the call asking, “Can you hear me?” This is a common tactic for scammers to record you saying “yes.” Scammers record your “yes” response and use it as proof that you agreed to a purchase or credit card charge.
- Don’t provide your credit card number, bank account information, or other personal information to a caller.
- Don’t send money if a caller tells you to wire money or pay with a prepaid debit card.