Always Phone a Friend

<img src=https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dcr-apis/wp_contents/uploads/DCR-ADMIN/phone%20a%20friend.jpeg alt=undefined style=height: auto;width: auto/> I was thinking about the old TV show, “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” when I talked to a friend who was almost the victim of financial fraud. When she told me her story, I scolded her for not calling me or another friend for advice. Contestants on that show had a chance to “phone a friend” if they needed help answering a question. This one simple thing would have saved her from a stressful experience. Here’s what happened. Her phone call to Apple Support was somehow intercepted by a scammer who offered to call her back because of a bad connection. During the call, he scared my friend into thinking her bank accounts were about to be drained of around $20,000. He was there to help her withdraw that money to protect it and asked her to stay on the line while she drove to the bank. He would meet her in the parking lot. The money would be safe after being temporarily converted to cryptocurrency. My friend was so scared that she couldn’t think straight. On the way to her car (while still on the phone), she ran into a neighbor who told her to mute the call when he saw that she was crying. She said later that she felt like she was under a spell. It didn’t occur to her to call anyone for guidance. Luckily, the neighbor made her hang up and go straight to her bank to make sure her funds were safe. And they were. The bank manager told her that she’d be surprised how often this scam pops up and how many people fall for it. Your best defense against this sort of rip-off is straightforward. Whenever you’re in doubt about a financial matter or transaction, call a trusted friend or relative before giving out personal information or moving money around. <a href=https://www.diamondcertified.org/ target=_self>Use Diamond Certified Resource to find top rated companies.</a> Related Articles <a href=https://www.diamondcertified.org/Guide/Savvy-Consumer/ target=_self>Your Guide to Being a Savvy Consumer</a> <a href=https://www.diamondcertified.org/find-expert-advice/ target=_self>Get Expert Advice From Owners of Top Rated Local Companies</a> <a href=https://www.diamondcertified.org/membership/ target=_self>Become a Diamond Certified Preferred Member (Always Free)</a>