It can be challenging to tell a real debt collector call apart from a scam. Debt collectors are known for being aggressive and pushy. They often use scare tactics to get people to pay their debts. However, many fake debt collectors use similar tactics to try and steal your money. So how can you tell the difference?
This article provides additional information on fake debt collectors, how to identify and report them, and how to prevent being a scam victim.
What Is a Debt Collection Scam?
A debt collection scam is when someone impersonates a legitimate debt collector to trick you into making payments for a fake or nonexistent debt.
9 Signs that a Debt Collection Call is from a Scammer
Here are nine signs that a debt collection call is a scam. If you're ever unsure about whether or not you're talking to a legitimate debt collector, be sure to ask for verification of their identity and the details of your alleged debt.
1. Does Not Provide You with Information
The caller seems confused or can't provide details about the debt. Legitimate debt collectors have detailed information about your debt and will be able to answer questions about it.
2. Does Not Verify Your Identity
The caller cannot verify your identity and asks you for personal information such as your Social Security number or bank account number.
Legitimate debt collectors will have information about you, like your name and other details, and will not disclose debt details without verifying your identity.
3. Impersonating as Government Official
If the debt collector tells you he is from a government agency like the IRS, this is most likely a scam. It is better to hang up with the caller and report them.
4. Refusing to Provide Written Documentation
If the caller posing as a debt collector refuses to give you written information about the debt or won't send you a copy of the bill, it is a scam. Legitimate debt collectors always provide written proof of your debt, including details on how much you owe and to whom.
5. Insisting on Other Forms of Payment
If the caller insists that you pay immediately with a prepaid debit card, wire transfer, or even a gift card, hang up and report the caller as the call is a scam. Legitimate debt collectors cannot legally demand payment in these forms. Only scammers will pressure into making payments in these forms.
6. Threatening Legal Action
If the caller threatens legal action against you on the call, it is a scam. Debt collectors cannot use arrest or jail threats to collect a debt.
7. Special or One-time Offers
If the caller offers "special" or "one-time only" settlements that are too good to be true, the caller is a scammer.
Debt collectors often offer debt settlement agreements, but any agreement should be put in writing and reviewed by a lawyer before you agree to it.
8. Refusing to Share Contact Information
The call is a scam if the caller won't give you their contact information or refuses to verify their or their organization's identity. Legitimate debt collectors must provide this information when asked.
9. Aggressive and Threatening Language
Debt collectors are generally known to be a bit pushy and aggressive. However, if you find the caller is exceptionally aggressive and threatening on call, and you cannot recognize the debt they are speaking about, this is a scam.
How to Prevent Becoming a Victim of Debt Collection Scam
To avoid Debt collection scam calls, you can be proactive and get a spam blocker to block calls on your landline before it rings. You can download several apps to block spam calls on Android and iPhones. Read on!
The Best Way to Block Spam on your Landline
Most landline providers do not offer spam-blocking services, leaving you with no option but to block them manually on your phone. Manually blocking spam calls is ineffective because you can block numbers only after receiving the call.
The only effective way to block spam calls is to switch to a provider that blocks them automatically before they reach you.
Community Phone offers landline phone service with built-in spam call blocking that can stop unlawful and unwanted calls from reaching your landline. It allows you to keep your landline phone without tying it to the internet.
Get rid of unwanted calls, and protect yourself, your loved ones, or your business from scams with Community Phone's spam-calling blocking services. Its spam call blocker can automatically detect spam, fraud, or robocalls and stop them before your phone rings.
How does It work?
- When you receive a call to your Community Phone number, your phone won't ring immediately. The caller will hear a recording that asks them to "press 1 to connect."
- Robocalls work by sensing when the recipient picks up the phone and speaks. Once they hear a sound that isn't the sound of the phone ringing, the recording begins.
- Since robocalls don't press buttons, the call will never reach your phone.
- If an "unidentified caller" follows the instructions and your phone rings, you can let the call go to voicemail and respond to the voicemail if it's a legitimate caller.
The Allowlist
The Community Phone "Allowlist" is a list of numbers you pre-approved to receive calls from. Your phone will ring only to let calls from the pre-approved numbers reach you. It will block all other numbers before your phone rings. You can update this list anytime to add or delete pre-approved numbers.
This feature is handy for seniors who are unsuspecting victims of phone scams. The Community Phone account holder can prevent anyone seniors don't know from reaching them, guaranteeing they'll avoid phone scams.
Download Community Phone’s FREE Spam Blocking App
Community Phone now offers a free spam-blocking app for iOS devices, providing the best protection against unwanted calls. It blocks spam calls on your cell phone and landline before either phone rings, giving you peace of mind.
The Community Phone app has advanced features, such as notifications to alert you about the numbers it blocks. It has been carefully designed to ensure complete user satisfaction and convenience.
The Community Phone spam-blocking app is completely free to download from the Apple store, ensuring that everyone can protect their phones from annoying spam calls. Once installed, Community Phone works in the background to monitor incoming calls and blocks any suspicious activity.
The Community Phone app is incredibly easy to use, allowing users to customize settings according to their preferences. You can choose what type of calls you want Community Phone to block. Landline users can also set up a whitelist for specific contacts in the app, so Community Phone's filters will not block them.
Thanks to its advanced algorithms and AI-backed technology, what sets Community Phone apart from other spam-blocking apps is its ability to block even unknown numbers. This ensures complete safety and security while using the Community Phone app. In addition, Community Phone has many other features, such as real-time monitoring, caller name recognition, call stats tracking, and more!
Overall, Community Phone’s FREE Spam Blocking App provides an effective solution against annoying spam calls without compromising performance or reliability. Its optimized features and intuitive interface make blocking unwanted calls a breeze!
The Best Way to Block Spam on Your iPhone
There are 2 ways to block spam calls on your iPhone
1. The Community Phone Spam Call Blocking App
You can find Community Phone's spam blocker in the Apple Store. Download this free app on your iPhone to block spam calls and text messages. You can also add the spam number to the Community Phone blocklist to update their blocklist. This action can help protect you and other Community Phone members from unwanted calls from that number.
2. Manually Block the Spam Number from Your iPhone
You can block scam calls manually on your iPhone by following these steps:
- Open the Phone App
- Tap > Recent
- Locate the number you want to block
- Tap the info icon
- Scroll to the bottom
- Tap block this caller
- Tap Confirm
The Best Way to Block Spam on Your Android Phone
You can block scam calls manually on your Android Phone by following these steps:
- Open the Phone App
- Tap more
- Access Call History
- Tap the number/name you want to block
- Tap Block/Report Spam
Benefits of Choosing the Community Phone Spam Blocker
Here are some benefits of choosing the Community Phone spam-blocker services:
1. Built-in Spam Blocker
Traditional landlines do not have in-built spam blockers. If you have a traditional landline, you can manually block spam numbers until you reach a limit. However, you can block the number only after you receive the call, which could be risky in many cases as you may have engaged the scammer.
The Community Phone built-in spam blocker scans, flags, and blocks spam calls before your phone rings, protecting you from scams and fraud.
2. Great Advantage for Seniors
The Safelist can ensure seniors are not troubled by scammers calling from unknown or unidentified numbers. The person who controls the Community Phone user account can pre-approve numbers from which the senior would like to receive calls. The spam blocker service will only allow calls from pre-approved numbers and block all other calls.
3. Take Control of Your Protection
You can update the Safelist or the Allowed list at any time to add or delete numbers. This feature prevents you from engaging scammers and ensures peace and protection against scams and fraud.
4. Effective Where the "Do Not Call" List Fails
The Do Not Call list is not effective against scammers. To prevent scam calls and to protect yourself from fraud, sign up for the Community Phone spam-blocker services for your landline or download their app for iPhone now.
What Makes Community Phone the Best Spam Call Blocker?
Here are some reasons that make Community Phone the best spam call blocker
- Excellent track record: The Community Phone robocall blocker has successfully protected individuals and businesses from spam calls. Read customer testimonies on Trustpilot to learn about the effectiveness and efficiency of the service.
- Blocks 99% of spam and robocalls on landlines: The Community Phone spam-blocker flags and blocks 99% of spam and robocalls before your phone rings, offering you ultimate protection against spam. Talk to their specialist to learn more!
- FREE spam call blocker for iPhone: You can download the Community Phone spam blocker for FREE from the Apple store to enjoy ultimate protection against spam calls and texts.
FAQs
How do I know if a collections call is real?
Many states have a mandate that debt collectors should be licensed. Check with your state's attorney general's office on the legitimacy of a debt collector.
Can a debt collector call you from a fake number?
The FDCPA allows debt collectors to use a different number. However, they must present their identity and disclose the name of the agency they are representing.
What is the best free debt collection scam blocker for iPhone?
Community Phone's spam-blocking app on the Apple store is the best free debt-collection scam-blocker for your iPhone. It blocks unwanted calls before your phone can ring, protecting you from scams and fraud.
Conclusion
If you believe you are dealing with a fake debt collector, you must immediately report them to the authorities. Fake debt collectors can be aggressive and intimidating, but it's essential to stay alert and remember these nine signs of a debt collection scam. You can better protect yourself from financial harm by arming yourself with knowledge about debt collection scams.
Get the Community Phone spam blocker for iPhone from the Apple store for FREE to protect yourself against debt collector scam calls. Talk to a Community Phone specialist to learn more!