Caller ID Spoofing
Periodically, we hear from local residents that they have received suspicious phone calls which appear to be from Dedham Savings. Remember that Caller ID information can be faked to make it look as if a call is coming from a trusted entity, which is a scam called Spoofing.
Dedham Savings will never call you asking for personal information such as account number, password or Social Security number. Do not give out this type of information over the phone to someone you do not know. If you receive this type of call, hang up and call Dedham Savings yourself at a published number. That way, you are certain you are speaking to a legitimate representative of the Bank, and you can alert us to the fraudulent call you have received.
Read on for more information from the Federal Trade Commission about keeping yourself safe from this type of scam.
What is Spoofing?
Spoofing is when a caller deliberately falsifies the information transmitted to a Caller ID display to disguise their identity. Scammers often use neighbor Spoofing so it appears that an incoming call is coming from a local number, or spoof a number from a company like Dedham Savings, or a government agency. If you answer, they use scam scripts to try to steal your money or valuable personal information, which can be used in fraudulent activity.
If you think you’ve been the victim of a spoofing scam, you can file a complaint with the FCC.
How to Avoid Spoofing
You may not be able to tell right away if an incoming call is spoofed. Be extremely careful about responding to any request for personal identifying information. Follow these tips to protect yourself:
- Don’t answer calls from unknown numbers. If you answer such a call, hang up immediately.
- If you answer the phone and the caller or a recording asks you to hit a button to stop getting the calls, you should just hang up. Scammers often use this trick to identify potential targets.
- Don’t respond to any questions, even those that can be answered with a “yes” or “no.”
- Never give out personal information, such as account numbers, Social Security numbers, mother’s maiden name, passwords, or other identifying information in response to unexpected calls or if you are suspicious.
- If you get an inquiry from someone who says they represent a company or government agency, hang up and call the phone number on your account statement, in the phone book, or on the company’s or agency’s website to verify the authenticity of the request. You will usually get a written statement in the mail before you get a phone call from a legitimate source, particularly if the caller is asking for a payment.
- Use caution if you are being pressured for information immediately.
- If you have a voicemail account with your phone service, be sure to set a password for it. Some voicemail services are preset to allow access if you call in from your own phone number. A hacker could spoof your home phone number and gain access to your voice mail if you don’t set a password.
- Talk to your phone company about call blocking tools and check into apps that you can download to your mobile device. The FCC allows phone companies to block robocalls by default based on reasonable analytics. More information about robocall blocking is available at www.fcc.gov/robocalls.
Stay vigilant to protect yourself from scams of all types, including Spoofing.
Member FDIC. Member DIF.