At United Southern Bank, the security of your account is important to us. We want to keep our customers informed on current phone scams and share useful tips from the Federal Trade Commission on how to avoid falling victim to these scams.

Be Aware of Current Phone Scams

Imposter Scams: A scammer will pretend to be someone you trust- a government agency such as the Social Security Administration or the IRS, a family member, or a love interest. Scammers can even have a fake name and phone number to show up on your caller ID to convince you.
Debt Relief and Credit Repair Scams: A scammer will offer to lower your credit card interest rates, fix your credit score, or get your student loans forgiven if you pay their company a fee first. These scams typically result in identity theft, and you could end up losing your money and ruining your credit.
Charity Scams: Some scammers like to pose as charities. Scams requesting donations for disaster relief efforts are especially common over the phone. It is best to research a charity before you give, and don’t get pressured into making a decision on the spot. Most legitimate charities will give you time to think your donation over before asking you to donate.
“Free Trials”: A scammer might promise a free trial but then you sign up for products that you’re billed for every month until you cancel. It is best to never provide your credit card information over the phone.
Prize and Lottery Scams: Some scammers will call and say that you have won a prize, but say that you are required to pay taxes, registration fees, or shipping charges to receive your prize. Remember, if you ever have to pay to get the prize, it’s not a prize.
Travel and Timeshare Scams: Some scammers will call and promise a free or low-cost vacation that will end up costing you a lot of money in hidden costs or in the worst case you find out there is no vacation at all.

How to Stop Calls from Scammers

Hang Up: If you ever suspect that a scammer is calling you, hang up the phone. They will sometimes ask you to press certain numbers to be removed from their list but pressing these numbers could lead to more robocalls. Just hang up.
Consider Call Blocking or Call Labeling: It is best to always block a phone number that has tried to scam you. You can do this by selecting the “information” icon next to the phone number in your recent contacts, scrolling to the bottom of the page, and selecting “block this caller.” This will help prevent future scams from this number.
Report Phone Scams: If you have lost money to a phone scam or have information about the company or scammer who called you, report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Report the number that appeared on your caller ID and any number that you were told to call back. Your report can help prevent scams and help law enforcement identify the people behind illegal calls.

Scammers have figured out countless ways to cheat you out of your money over the phone. In some scams, they act friendly and helpful. In others, they might threaten or scare you. Please reach out to info@usbky.com or give us a call at 1.888.872.0015 if you have any questions about phone scams. United Southern Bank cares about our customers and wants to make sure that you’re armed with the information you need to protect yourself.