According to the Office of the Attorney General of Texas and the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office, telephone scammers often use threats of arrest, enticing offers, charitable appeals, or false claims of government affiliation to target individuals. Their goal is to convince you to send money or share personal information. Scammers often rely on high-pressure tactics, fake government claims, and requests for payment by gift card, wire transfer, or other unusual methods.
If a caller claims to represent a company, utility, or government office, verify the claim using prior correspondence or a company website you know is legitimate. If you cannot verify the caller’s legitimacy, do not provide money or personal information.
You can also protect yourself from telephone scams by enrolling in do-not-call registries, using call-blocking services, and ignoring calls from numbers you do not recognize. If you think you received a scam call, block the number, report it, and remind your neighbors to stay alert.
To learn more about how to protect yourself from scams and unwanted phone calls, please visit How to Spot and Report Phone Scams | Office of the Attorney General.