When something goes wrong with a service or product you paid for, you contact the company, right? It should be as straightforward as that, but unfortunately, that’s not always the case.
Let’s say you miss your and you want to contact the airline to reschedule. You go online and find the number and call. You hand over your information and rebook a flight. You get to the airport and realize you’re not booked for anything. You called a scammer posing as the airline. This is just one of many ways they can get your personal and financial information. Tap or click here for five flight and airline scams to watch out for.
If only there were an easy way to find the number for just about any company under the sun. We found a website that does just that. It’s a handy tool, especially if you hate wading through robots and false trails.
Get Human is an invaluable resource for finding the contact information you need. Simply go to gethuman.com and type in the name of a company in the search bar. Alternatively, you can select a company from the links on the website’s main page.
You receive winning matches in real-time. Select the brand you’re after from the drop-down results, and you’ll be whisked away to a listing page with all the details you’ll need to get in touch.
Warning: The site is full of intrusive ads, which you should never click on.
After inputting the company you’d like to get in touch with, simply write down the phone number and any other contact info you’ll need to proceed safely.
Luckily, it’s easy to tell which number is the one to use—the big blue one to the left of the screen. You even get the current wait time!
Our best advice: skip the buttons that supposedly prompt a call or chat automatically. Grab a pen and paper and snag the number. You’re officially home-free, with no Google search required. Speaking of which, here are seven things you should never search for.
It’s not always easy to tell when you’re on the phone with a scammer. The usual warning signs you get from emails, such as spelling errors, are not there. But we’re here to help. Tap or click here for five surefire phrases that you’re talking to a scammer on the phone.
If you fall victim to a scammer who is using a payment app, you’re out of luck. There are no rules or laws to protect you and get your money back once the money goes out of your account and into somebody else’s.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Online banking is convenient and safe as long as you take some precautions. While it’s nice to avoid standing in long lines waiting for a teller, there’s always the chance for hackers and scammers to get involved. Tap or click here for three online banking mistakes putting your money at risk.
It’s always good to remind yourself that scams are just around the corner, waiting for you to drop your guard. Even if you get a phone call from someone you trust, it’s better to be safe at the moment than regret it afterward. Tap or click here for five surefire phrases you’re talking to a scammer on the phone.
It can be challenging to determine if that text message, email, or video is legitimate or just another scam. There are usually telltale signs, like spelling errors, that give away the scammer’s intentions. But it’s not so easy when you speak to someone over the phone.
If you’ve ever wandered around a hot parking lot searching for your car, you’ll love me for this tip.
These little tech tricks might make you think, “Why didn’t someone tell me that sooner?” I did! Tap or click for 10 incredibly useful iPhone and Android tricks that make your life easier.
Email scams often contain elaborate details to entice you into clicking a link or opening an attachment. Usually, there is some heartfelt backstory to why you must open that document or a severe threat of what will happen if you don’t.
Everybody loves a good bargain, and what can be better than getting paid to go shopping?
Not so fast. Scammers use a variety of tricks to steal your information or load malware onto your device. Well, they’re at it once again.
Most people have an extensive contact list saved on their mobile phones. So, when a call comes through from an unknown number, it usually arouses suspicion. Unfortunately, it is more than likely a robocall or scammer.
You might assume that the SIM card in your mobile phone is safe. After all, it is firmly embedded into your device, and someone would need to take it out physically to access it. But that isn’t the only method. Tap or click here for an in-depth look at SIM swapping scams.
A scammer will try their luck with just about any scenario they can concoct. For example, an often-used tactic is when criminals call senior citizens claiming to be a relative. Then, pretending to be in debt or needing bond money, they will ask for wire transfers or cash deposits.
Holiday shopping scams should be no surprise at this point. Thieves know tons of people are looking for great deals on the hottest items of the season and do their best to rip them off. Tap or click here for details on holiday shopping scams that are already making the rounds.
Bad credit comes with many problems, like higher interest rates and rejected home and vehicle loans. That’s why you should look out for the one threat that can tank your credit score: identity theft. If a scammer steals your identity, they can drain your accounts and obliterate your financial security.
It’s hard for most of us to imagine our private information could ever hurt us. Your phone number, address and full name are just part of who you are. You don’t think of them as a threat — but data breaches can flip everything on its head.
Payment apps like Venmo, Cash App, Google Pay, Zelle and PayPal are great for paying for goods and services and sending money to friends. You can even use some of them to split a bill at a restaurant. They’re an easy alternative to credit cards that are becoming more widely accepted as time goes on.
Phishing scams involve gaining a user’s trust by imitating a known company or service. A scam can target you with a phony email from your streaming service provider, for example. They’ll ask for your login credentials or payment for a bill that doesn’t exist.
Targeting large groups of people through phishing or email spam is a typical way cybercriminals make money. But some step it up a notch and go after large databases containing millions of user records.
In the last decade, plenty of companies have fallen victim to meticulously planned attacks. Hackers sometimes get access to millions of personal information files. They use the stolen data to rip people off by committing identity fraud and numerous other nefarious acts.
At this point in time, who couldn’t use a little extra cash? The COVID-19 pandemic has decimated a significant number of jobs and opportunities, which is why scammers are working overtime to prey on people’s desperation.
It’s one thing to read about scams and the damage they can do to unsuspecting victims. But hearing the personal stories of scam victims in their own words is an entirely different experience altogether.
Previously, we talked about how realistic scam emails were getting as phishing campaigns continue to skyrocket during the COVID-19 pandemic. One particularly bad scam actually impersonates Amazon, a major company more people relying on today than ever before. Tap or click here to see how this scam works.
