Consider The Timing Of The Call
When you get a call from an unknown number, or a number whose caller ID claims to be from an important establishment, tech experts express that context is key. When your phone starts ringing, think to yourself, Am I expecting a call from anyone?
If you're not expecting an important call from your bank, doctor, insurance company, or a delivery service worker, then it's always a good idea to take caution before answering a call from an unknown number.
"Scammers depend on speed and pressure, so the first red flag is timing," notes Steven Athwal of The Big Phone Store. "If you weren't expecting a call from a bank, delivery service, or government department, treat it with suspicion straight away."
Pay Attention To The Sound & Caller's Request
If you still feel inclined to answer an unknown call, worried you might be missing something important, then there's more you should be aware of to avoid getting scammed. These days, there are so many scam calls that don't even feature human beings on the other line, due to growing AI technology that can make it sound like you're speaking to another person, even if you're not.
Olga Scryaba with Fake.ai warns against this, noting, "I recommend both carefully listening for the signs of AI audio deepfake and analyzing the overall situation logically."
If the caller does not sound human or does not respond to you in a logical way, but more so sounds like a recording, you should hang up right away. Additionally, various tech experts have warned to be wary of a call that's requesting you to do something urgent.
"You should always watch for pressure and urgency," advises Scryaba. "There are quite a few scenarios in life where you really have to act immediately. So, if someone is pushing you hard for you to take an action, take a pause. Even better, hang up and call this particular organization back, but using another official number. This way, you will be able to check whether they really tried to contact you about an urgent matter or if it was most probably a scam."