I got a call this morning from 876 area code.
The call was just a little garbled.
The caller spoke with an accent.
There was music playing in the background.
It was hard to understand what he was saying.
He kept saying “Do you understand?”
Here’s what I could understand …
His name is Mr E X (something).
MegaMillions in Colorado.
I won $1.5 million because I pay my utility bills on time.
I just need to pay $180 processing fee.
As soon as I could understand that he was not calling my business, I was laughing and telling him I don’t believe him. I hung up. Then, I did a little research.
876 Area code is in Kingston, Jamaica.
It’s well known for phone scams.
876 Area code is often mistaken as a toll free number on caller ID.
How can you protect yourself?
- If you have caller ID, don’t answer calls if you don’t recognize the number.
- Never give any personal information to a caller, including name, address, social security number, bank or credit card numbers, passwords or pin numbers.
- Don’t believe them, no matter what they say.
- Hang up. Don’t give them a chance to convince you to do something.
- Enter your phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry.
- Report telephone scams to your local authorities.
Leave a comment with your phone scam experience.
