Verizon users should be alert to this new scam and hang up the phone

You can't trust anyone these days, and it's not me getting all bitter and cynical – it's just the way things are as of late. That's especially true with unknown numbers that call you: one never knows if it's a legitimate call, or a fraud attempt. Sadly, many fall for phone frauds and the problem is getting out of hand.

A Verizon representative warns on Reddit in a thread called "New Scam!" that, well, there's a new scam that subscribers should know about.

Even if you're not on Verizon yourself, it's probably a good idea to learn about it and then tell your family and friends about it, if they're subscribed to the Big Red carrier.



So, scammers have begun targeting Verizon customers by spoofing the phone numbers of local stores to make fraudulent calls appear authentic. These calls often claim there is suspicious activity on a customer's account or a large order being shipped to an unfamiliar address. According to the OP (original poster) by the nickname of Dependent_Biscotti_5, (allegedly a Verizon store employee), two of their store numbers have already been spoofed.

They warned that stores never initiate calls about fraudulent orders and urged customers not to share any personal information if they receive such calls.

The discussion, however, took on a different course and confusion about the types of calls Verizon employees may make was introduced. One commenter pointed out that store representatives are required to make daily calls, but others clarified that these calls are usually for sales, promotions, or store-related issues, not fraud alerts. Another Verizon employee stressed that fraud-related calls are handled by the company's dedicated fraud department, not by local sales teams.



Another alleged Verizon rep said they had to call an account owner to confirm an order they suspected was fraudulent. However, the original poster explained that such actions are different from what scammers are doing. Local stores do not have the capability to call customers and confirm large suspicious orders. Instead, scammers exploit this assumption by pretending to be legitimate representatives.

That's right – if a Verizon (or any other carrier, really) representative calls you, it would typically be a highly personalized call, referencing past interactions and whatnot. Another commenter explained how a fraudulent home internet order was placed on their account, but they were able to cancel it by contacting Verizon directly and changing their account password.

There's probably a rise in scam attempts – at least that's what people are observing. One commenter reported receiving multiple spoofed calls that appeared to come from a Verizon store in Utah. Each time, they responded by stating that Verizon would never ask for account access over the phone, which caused the scammers to hang up immediately.

How to prevent this?

My take on things is to never let your guard down. To identify scams, always be cautious of unsolicited calls, especially those claiming urgent account issues or large orders you never placed. Scammers often spoof phone numbers to make calls appear as if they are coming from trusted sources like Verizon stores. Never share personal or account information over the phone unless you initiated the call through an official number.

If in doubt, hang up, look up the store or company's official contact number, and call them directly to verify the claim. That's a safe option, even if it takes time.

But hey, it's better to lose some time than to lose money and personal information, right?

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