According to the Federal Trade Commission, impostor scams were the most commonly reported type of fraud in the United States last year. Scammers are now utilizing artificial intelligence to automate calls and alter caller IDs.
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Lieutenant Doug Mahlum of the Great Falls Police Department warns, "The police department and the public used to think that it was always our elderly persons and families that were getting these scam calls. That’s not true anymore. When you talk about AI, it’s everybody and anybody that has a phone number has the potential to get a scam phone call. Using AI to get you to say “yes”, get you to say things that are relevant so they can utilize your voice for bank accounts or other information. The longer you talk to them the more material you’re providing. We recommend just hang up. If you don’t recognize the phone number, don’t answer the phone".
The best practices to keep in mind when avoiding these scams is to not answer unknown phone calls or calls you are not expecting.
The caller can always leave a voicemail to be called back if it’s important. Never share personal information over the phone, and always verify that you are able to call the person or company back directly. If not, it’s most likely a scam.
Make sure to have an open discussion with your family members of all ages about avoiding phone scams.
