How to Recognize a Telemarketing Scam

Instructions

• 1

  Regardless of the service or product being sold to you by a telemarketer, the call is a scam if at the end of the call you are asked for information such as your bank account number, your credit card number or other personal information which can be used to draw money from your bank account. Never give personal information to strangers calling your house no matter how promising their offer sounds.
• 2

  Legit telemarketers will let you think about their offer for as much time as you like. Scammers on the other hand will try to get things settled in the very first call. If you are being pushed to buy a service or product without allowing you time to think, it will definitely be a telemarketing scam.
• 3

  If you get a telemarketing sales call, the best way to recognise a telemarketing scam is to analyse what the telemarketer is promising. If it sounds too good to be true, then it is not true and there are high chances that you are being tricked into giving out your personal information. Just say “No thank you” and hang up the call.
• 4

  Look out for telemarketers who promise high returns on a very low investment. This is illogical and untrue in practical life. There is no way you can earn a million dollars by investing a few hundred dollars. Ask the telemarketer not to call you back and hang up.
• 5

  Another way to recognise a telemarketing scam is the National Do Not Call List (DNCL). According to federal law, if you have registered your telephone number on the DNCL and it has been there for over thirty days; telemarketers are not allowed to call you to make an anonymous offer. Even if you still get a sales call, be on the alert because it is likely to be a telemarketing scam.