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Caller ID isn't what it used to be: Technology and identity theft.Technology and identity theft now extends to a variety of telephone services. Now normally Caller ID is a great tool. It lets us know who is calling, enabling us to decide if we want to take the call. But it, like other technologies, is being exploited to gain your trust and access to your bank account. You may be relying on the information it conveys such as a local number and an official sounding business name when you decide to take a call. But with advances in telephone services utilizing the internet, Caller ID can't always be trusted. Scammers can now obtain telephone service from anywhere in the country and make it look like it originates in your home town - using your local area code. Thieves employ a variety of methods to try to get you to reveal your personal and/or financial information over the phone. One method includes an automated dialing program (sometimes called a 'war dialer'). Upon answering the call, victims hear a recorded message with the urgent claim that their account needs updating or has been compromised. It then asks you to confirm your data by entering it into the phone. Once you do that, your personal data is recorded and later used to clean out your bank account. Legitimate companies rarely utilize this method if there is a real issue with one of your accounts. They generally have a live person call you - which brings us to the next method: The 'personal approach'. Just when you thought it was safe, criminals are now using the 'live person' method in an attempt to separate you and your identity or your money or both. The scam usually involves someone (a criminal) calling you and informing you that you're eligible to receive some sort of discount or promotional item and all you have to do to receive it is to verify your account information. To gain your trust, they concoct a story about how their company has merged or been bought by a larger, more well known company - one, they hope, you already do business with. If you receive such calls, simply hang up. If you are concerned about your account at any particular bank or company, initiate the call yourself. Don't be a victim of technology and identity theft.
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