Yahoo News The most common 'cold call' scams and how to spot them
Cold call scams are sadly a fact of life, particularly for those who still use a landline – often older people.
But there are usually giveaway signs that warn you when someone on the other end of the telephone isn't to be trusted.
Unexpected calls with urgent requests, and requests for payments by unconventional means, such as gift cards, are all signs you are dealing with a scammer, says Javvad Malik, lead security awareness advocate at KnowBe4.
Cold call scams are unbelievably common in the UK, with 61% of those aged 75 and over receiving scam calls to their landline – and more than half of those who had received a suspicious phone call saying that they got a call at least once a week.
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If you're worried about a call, Googling the number can often help, as people rapidly pinpoint the numbers from which scam calls originate.
Generally speaking, don't ever give money to a cold caller, and if you're suspicious about a call, hang up and phone the institution from a number you know to be the right one.
Pension / investment scam
"Scammers call, claiming to be from a bank or financial institution, requesting sensitive information like bank account details or credit card numbers," Malik says.
"They may offer investment or loan opportunities that sound too good to be true. They can also claim that a pension pot needs to be transferred."
The giveaways here are financial institutions requesting personal or financial information over the phone, or promises of high returns with low risk.
If the call is designed to inspire fears of loss of money if action isn't taken immediately, that's also a warning sign.
Tech support scam
This is a classic scam where a scammer pretends to be "from Microsoft" or another tech company, Malik says.
"The scammer poses as a tech support representative, claiming that your computer has a virus or other technical issues. They may ask you to install remote access software to fix the problem, which gives them control over your device."
The giveaway here is that tech companies will never call you out of the blue to say there is a problem with a device.
Legitimate technicians will also not immediately ask for remote access – or demand payment through unconventional methods like gift cards.
HMRC scam
These common scam calls purport to be from HMRC, demanding immediate payment for back taxes or threatening legal consequences.
Malik says that the scammers commonly ask for personal information, payment through wire transfers, or prepaid debit cards.
The giveaways here are that HMRC will never call and pressure for immediate payment or make threats of arrest.
Also, HMRC will never request payment in Amazon vouchers and other tokens, and will in almost every case write to taxpayers first.
Call HMRC on the appropriate number to check if you are worried.
Grandparent or parent scam
This scam relies on emotional manipulation, where a scammer pretends to be someone like a law enforcement officer, claiming that a child or grandchild is in trouble.
This cruel scam relies on high-pressure tactics, with scammers demanding immediate payment.
The giveaway is requests for wire transfers or gift cards, and pressure to keep it a secret, and claims that the child has lost their phone or it has been stolen.
Call or text the person on their real number to check.
