Yesterday, I received an irate phone call from one of my clients telling me that her father had been scammed and that his bank account had been completely emptied!! ‘My goodness, how did that happen?’ I asked. My client then told me that all it took was a phone call from the ‘bank’ asking her father to verify his details and his bank account was duly emptied.
Lately, I’ve been hearing more and more stories of people from young adults to elderly pensioners falling victim to phone scams. These scams are clever, frightening, and designed to make people act quickly without thinking. As someone who works with families every day, I want to make sure you — your children, and especially your parents or grandparents — know how to protect yourselves.
The police, Ministry of National Security, and the Ministry for Social Equality recently published guidelines, and I think they are so important that I’m sharing them with you here in simple, everyday language.
How to Protect Yourself from Phone Scams
If you didn’t make the call — don’t take action!
Hang up and call back yourself using the official number of the bank, company, or authority. The bank usually calls from a land line.
No bank will ever ask you for passwords or security codes. They have it already!!
Your bank already has your details — they don’t need you to repeat them.
Never withdraw cash and hand it to a “messenger” who comes to your door.
Never share your passwords over the phone!!
There is no such thing as a “safe account.” That’s just scam language.
Don’t click on links in SMS messages from sites you do not recognize.
Only use official apps you downloaded yourself from the app store.
Always call back to check for yourself if a request is real.
Don’t give donate money over the phone. Always ask them to send you the link to their website and donate there. I have a client that cannot cancel his donations because the ‘charities’ are fake.
If they tell you not to share the call with your family or bank — it’s definitely a scam.
Adopt a cautious, questioning mindset. A little suspicion can save you a lot of money and heartache.
If they persist – end the call.
A Message for Families
If you have elderly parents, please sit down with them and go over these points. Many victims of fraud are seniors who simply want to trust people. A short conversation today could save them from losing their life savings tomorrow.
I always say that financial security isn’t only about budgeting and planning — it’s also about protecting yourself from those who want to take advantage. Share this article with your family and friends, and let’s keep our community safe together.