CallBeware This Phone Scam
I was in Toronto recently when the phone rang at my wife’s place. Usually I don’t answer unidentified numbers, but I was expecting a work call so I picked up the phone. On the other end was a recording saying that due to an update to a recent WestJet flight, we were both eligible for a $990 credit. I knew it was a scam right away (more here) but wanted to see how it worked, so I pressed the number one as prompted to speak to “an agent.”

I could barely understand the guy through his thick Indian accent. He asked if I was over 30 and if I had a credit card, and I said I sure did, in a disguised, crazy, eager voice—and he put me on hold. My voice must have been too suspicious since he hung up on me, but the moral of the story is to never, under any circumstances, give any of these crooks your credit card information, bank account number or any other personal information. Tell them they’re being recorded and they’ll hang up faster than you can say Marco Polo.

 

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4 Comments On "Travel Tip of the Day: Beware This Phone Scam"
  1. Barney|

    Fun Tip: Keep a VISA or MC gift card that you’ve never registered AND have used up all the cash balance on next to the phone and give them that number.

    1. Johnny Jet|

      Love it!

  2. mslewis|

    I got this call yesterday (Sunday). I did what I always do, hung up.

  3. Barney|

    It’s one of my tricks from the “Prince Humperdink School of Sometimes Evil Can Be Fun!” ;-)

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