Imagine, for a moment that you are one of the very few […] unlucky people who have had their personal information compromised during some electronic transaction. Imagine next, that you have just recieved another potentially menacing phone call, where the caller is unassumedly asking for your hair color, telephone number, house color, the car you drive, your mother’s maiden name, social security number, dog’s name, shoe size, bank account numbers, credit card numbers, and what you are cooking for dinner. Now, imagine that you have pulled some strings with your buddies in the FBI, and can immediately cross reference voices with names, addresses, phone numbers, and other identifying information.Â
So, here it is. Don’t give away your own personal information, feed them theirs.
How long do you think it would take the caller to realize that you are reading their own information back to them? Would they not realize that they are scamming themselves? Are some stupid enough that they would actually call the police and report that their personal information was being stolen?
I can feel the flushing of faces, hear the puckering of asses, and see the dropping of coffee mugs, followed by a brief but deafening silence.Â
“Excuse me, sir. I think I might have the wrong number.”
“I think you’re right.”