Beware of Spoofing Scams

Caller ID spoofing scams are on the rise. Fraudsters are disguising their phone number so the call appears to come from your financial institution. To trick you into answering they use local area codes and numbers that look familiar. The caller may try to get you to confirm card or account activity so you give them your account information over the phone. If you receive a call that seems suspicious, hang up immediately and contact Timberland Bank directly at 1-800-562-8761.

Here are some more tips to avoid being spoofed.

• Don't answer calls from unknown numbers.
• If you answer and it’s not who you expected, don’t hang on, hang up.
• If a caller asks you to hit a button to stop getting calls, just hang up.
• Never assume an unexpected call is legitimate. Hang up and call back using a number you can verify on a bill, a statement, or an official website.
• Be suspicious. Con artists can be very convincing: They may ask innocuous questions, or sound threatening, or sometimes seem too good to be true.
• Don’t give out personal information – account numbers, Social Security numbers or passwords – or answer security questions.
• Use extreme caution if you are being pressured for immediate payment.
  
• Ask your phone company about call blocking tools for landlines or apps for mobile devices.
• Report spoofing scams to law enforcement, the FCC and the FTC.