Our office continues to receive inquiry calls from consumers asking about the legitimacy of phone calls. Consumers have inquired most about "Apple Support Scams" and " your social security number has been compromised" calls.  

Things to remember, just because the number you see on the caller ID appears to be a local number, it might not be. Phone numbers are spoofed, which permits the caller to show any phone number they wish on the caller ID, including your own. Should you call the phone number on your caller ID back and the person on the other end of the call has no clue what you are talking about, the caller probably spoofed the number which appeared on your caller ID, both you and the person on the other end are victims. 

Calls advising “Your social security number has been compromised” are a scam. Nobody is going to contact you to alert your social security number was compromised. The best way to make sure your social security number remains intact is to monitor your credit.  

Some credit cards offer free or low-cost credit monitoring. You are also entitled to obtain a free credit report annually. You can claim your free credit report online at www.annualcreditreport.com or by calling 1-877-322-8228. Be aware when seeking a copy of your annual credit report either online or by phone, you will need to provide your social security number. Please remember where it is never recommended to give personal information over the phone to an unknown party you are reaching out to obtain your free annual credit report. You know you are placing the call to a legitimate number so you can safely share this otherwise confidential information.

The Federal Trade Commission provides more information on how to recognize and report scam calls and texts, which you can read here.  

If you receive a phone call that you are unsure about, hang up and call our office for further assistance, 716-858-6169.