Overview
Phone scams use live calls, robocalls, or voicemail messages to pressure you into sharing information, sending money, or giving someone access to an account or device.
Scammers may impersonate a bank, government agency, law-enforcement office, delivery company, employer, technical-support provider, UM department, or family member. They may already know your name, address, workplace, or other information found online or obtained from a data breach.
Caller ID is not proof of who is calling. Scammers can make a call appear to come from a local number or a real organization. This is called caller ID spoofing.
How It Works
A phone scam often tries to keep you on the call and prevent you from checking the story. The caller may:
- Claim that your account, computer, taxes, immigration status, student record, or benefits have a problem.
- Threaten arrest, legal action, service interruption, or financial loss.
- Say a family member is in danger or needs money immediately.
- Offer a prize, refund, job, loan, or investment opportunity.
- Ask for passwords, MFA codes, Social Security numbers, banking information, or card details.
- Demand payment by gift card, cryptocurrency, wire transfer, payment application, or cash.
- Tell you not to speak with anyone else.
- Ask you to install software or provide remote access to a device.
Some scams use recorded or AI-generated voices. A voice that sounds familiar is not enough to confirm a caller's identity.
Warning Signs
Be cautious when an unexpected caller:
- Creates extreme urgency or fear.
- Demands immediate payment or personal information.
- Insists that you stay on the phone while completing a transaction.
- Requests payment through gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfer, cash, or another difficult-to-reverse method.
- Asks for a password, MFA code, or approval of a sign-in request.
- Tells you to keep the call secret from family, coworkers, a bank, or university staff.
- Uses caller ID as proof that the call is legitimate.
- Becomes hostile when you ask to verify the request.
- Provides a callback number but discourages you from looking up the organization's official number yourself.
A legitimate caller should allow you to end the call and verify the request independently.
How to Protect Yourself
- Let unfamiliar calls go to voicemail. A legitimate caller can leave a message.
- Do not trust caller ID alone. Names and numbers can be spoofed.
- Hang up when an unexpected caller asks for sensitive information, account access, or immediate payment.
- Verify the caller independently. Call the person or organization using a number you already know or one published on an official website, statement, card, or directory.
- Do not use a callback number supplied by the caller until you verify it.
- Never share a password or MFA code by phone. Do not approve an MFA prompt at a caller's direction.
- Do not install software or allow remote access because of an unsolicited call.
- Talk with someone you trust before sending money. Scammers often rely on isolation and urgency.
- For an urgent call involving a family member, end the call and contact that person directly. A family safe word can provide another way to verify the request.
- Use call-blocking and spam-filtering tools offered by your phone or carrier.
What You Should Do at UM
UM IT staff will not ask for your password, ask you to read an MFA code, direct you to approve an unexpected MFA prompt, or request payment information during an unsolicited support call.
If a caller claims to represent UM:
- Do not provide information or follow instructions during the unexpected call.
- End the call.
- Verify the request by contacting the UM office through an official UM website, the UM directory, or a number you already know.
- Report a suspicious UM-related call to the UM IT Helpdesk or UM Information Security Office.
If you shared your UM password or an MFA code, approved an unexpected sign-in, installed software, granted remote access, or disclosed university data, contact UM support immediately. Change your UM password through the normal UM account-management process if account information was disclosed.
If the call involved a UM payment, payroll matter, purchasing request, student account, or other business process, also contact the relevant UM office through a trusted method before any transaction continues.
If you only received the call and did not share information, send money, install software, or approve access, block or report the number as appropriate. Receiving a scam call by itself does not mean your account or phone has been compromised.
Additional Questions
For a phone call involving a UM account, UM device, university data, or UM business process, contact the UM IT Helpdesk and the UM Information Security Office.
For a personal phone scam:
- Contact your mobile or telephone carrier about repeated unwanted calls, spoofing, spam filtering, or blocking tools.
- Contact your bank, credit-card issuer, gift-card issuer, or payment provider immediately if you sent money or disclosed payment information.
- Report consumer scams to the Federal Trade Commission through its official reporting service.
Additional Resources