What are Arizona Phone Scams?

Arizona phone scams are a broad list of fraudulent practices pulled off on residents using a phone. Phone scams can be perpetrated via live calls, robocalls, text messages, or any other means to establish phone contact with a target. Phone lookup applications can help residents of Arizona identify the true origin of a scam call.

Spoofed numbers and VoIP calls facilitate most phone scams. Scammers use these means to make sure targets let their guards down while talking to them. The Arizona Attorney General's Office (AAG) ensures that residents are updated on new scam schemes and how to avoid them through scam alerts. Residents can sign up for these alerts for free and file complaints with the AAG if they suspect that they have been targeted by phone scams.

Some common phones scams in Arizona include:

• Cell phone service: where scammers call to inform their target of an increase in cell phone service fees. This is often backed up with information about the current charges the target is paying. Cell phone service scam is perpetrated to get victims to pay extra fees for using their cell phones.
• Foreclosure rescue scheme: here, scammers contact their targets via phone and guarantee that they can lower their mortgage payment or save them from foreclosure. They demand an upfront fee and then terminate all contacts with the victims.
• Charity scam: here, the scammer impersonates individuals from charity organizations to steal money from their targets. Always do a reverse phone number lookup to be sure of who called you.
• Lottery and sweepstake scam: here, the target receives a call that they have won a ticket, prize, or money in another state or country. The recipient is then asked to pay upfront for tax.
• Debt relief or credit verification scam: here, the scammer informs the target that their card has been used to aid some sort of fraud. The aim is to obtain personal information from the target through a credit card verification fraud.
• Friend and family scam: where a con artist poses as a friend or a family member and asks for help to deal with an urgent need. Their targets are usually elderly people that may find it difficult to discern who the actual caller is.
• Debt collection scam: here, con artists pretend to be officials from their target's debt agency to illegally collect money from them. Most scammers call at inappropriate times. Fair Debt Collection Practice Act maintains that collectors should not contact a debtor before 8 am and after 9 pm.
• Jury duty scam: where cheats impersonate court employees to collect fees from their targets for failing to present jury duty.

What are Arizona IRS Scams?

Arizona IRS scam occurs when a scammer who disguises as an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agent calls and notifies the target that their tax payment is overdue. This is followed by an instruction to pay the stated amount immediately or face an impending audit.

The goal is to obtain money from the target by pretending to be legitimate IRS workers. The con artists' goal is to collect sensitive information from the victim and inflict damage on the victim's account.. Reverse phone number lookups can retrieve the true identities of such callers.

Arizona Tech Support Scams

A tech support scam may start with the victim receiving a notification that viruses were detected on their computer. Once the scammer gets the victim on the phone, scammers try to convince the target to pay to get their computer fixed.

Sometimes they request access to the target's computer to diagnose a problem when, in reality, they want to install or download malicious software and steal sensitive information. The con artists’ goal is to collect sensitive information from the victim and inflict damage on the victim's account.

Arizona Voice Phishing Scams

Scammers use voice phishing to trick victims into giving up sensitive information such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, or a username and password. Perpetrators of this crime ask for information directly or ask the victim to visit a website or call a phone number, where the scammer impersonates a legitimate company.

Voice phishing is possible because scammers can now impersonate reputable organizations, agencies, or individuals the target trust. The AAG advises residents to never give up personal information over the phone.

What are Arizona Emergency Scams?

Emergency scams, otherwise called 'grandparent scams,' include all the scams perpetrated by cheats posing as family or close friends of their victims. The scammer's goal is to obtain money from the victim through pretense. To achieve this, the fraudsters spoof caller IDs to mask their true identity from the targets.

Generally, con artists claim to be in dire need to elicit pity from victims. Scammers also instruct victims to keep the conversation a secret for as long as necessary. If you have been a target of an emergency scam, contact the AAG or submit a complaint to the Arizona Task Against Senior Abuse (TASA). In addition to this, residents can do a phone number lookup search online or contact a phone lookup service provider.

How Do I Avoid Becoming a Victim of a Phone Scam?

• Give financial or other personal information to only verified individuals.
• Do not send money or check to someone you do not know. If you have to, let your bank do so on your behalf.
• If a caller claims to come from your bank, never call the number they leave on the message. Contact the number on your bank's card immediately.
• Hang up any call from someone claiming to work with technical support or any individual who claims something is wrong with your computer.
• Allow calls from unknown numbers go to voicemail, so you can cross-check the callback number or contact a reverse phone number lookup service provider.
• Register your phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry.
• End unidentified robocalls immediately after realizing what they are.
• Do not trust a name or number. If a caller claims to be representing an organization, contact the company or agency directly to verify who has called.
• Avoid typing incorrect web addresses for official dealings.
• Do some research on unfamiliar contacts, investment opportunities, new business associates, charities, opportunities, service providers, or deals.
• Keep personal information secure, including passwords and PINs. Legitimate organizations, including government agencies and banks, will never ask you to disclose sensitive personal information over the phone.
• Take time to process information anytime you receive a call from an unidentified person. Also ask questions, for clarity. Do not let unknown callers rush you to a quick decision.
• Avoid using free unprotected Wi-Fi in public places. Personal information is susceptible to theft on shared public networks.
• Do not pick calls from numbers bearing international area codes and unknown local area codes.
• Contact TASA for scam complaints. Residents may do so via telephone by calling 602-542-2124 or send a mail to seniorabuse@azag.gov.Report fraud or suspicion of fraud and identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).