We’ve all read stories or personally know someone that has been taken advantage of by scammers. Our team at Patriot Mobile compiled this list of common mobile phone scams to be aware of and how to avoid them.

4 MOST COMMON MOBILE PHONE SCAMS:

1. STOLEN PHONES – We store a lot of important information on our phones. If stolen, scammers will have quick access to a lot of the things we want to keep protected. To avoid this, here are a few proactive steps you can take:

• Use a unique passcode on your phone
• Know what type of “Find My Phone” feature your phone has & how to use it. Find out more information on how to utilize this feature on Android or Apple.
• Use an app to protect sensitive information you may have on your phone or consider removing it from your phone.

2. TEXT SCAMS – If you get a text you just aren’t sure about, it’s best to leave it alone, don’t click on it and delete it! Common text scams you might receive are:

• Posing as your Bank or Credit Card notifying you of fraudulent activity
• Posing as the United States Post Office notifying you that you have a package
• Don’t click on the link. Contact your bank or credit card to confirm the legitimacy of this communication.

3. ONE RING SCAM – From time to time, you may get that suspicious phone call that only rings once. The strange call is used to grab your attention and pique your curiosity to call the number back. Sometimes they may even leave you a voicemail prompting them to call you back. Steps to take:

• If you guessed don’t call them back, you are correct! It’s the best way to protect your information.
• Ever in doubt about a specific scam? Often a quick internet search can typically uncover something about what you are experiencing as they are calling thousands.

4. UNFAMILIAR CALLERS – The most common phone scams today are mysterious calls that mimic your area code and the first 3 digits of your phone number, making it more enticing to answer that call. We suggest not answering it; however, if you do, be aware of what the caller is asking and follow these steps:

• Never give our personal information if you can’t verify the person you are speaking with represents a company you do business
• Place all numbers you want to have available on your phone to lessen the occasion of receiving a call you are not familiar with

Our US-based team is available to assist you at 1-877-367-7524 weekdays 8 am-8:30 pm Saturday 9 am-6 pm CST.