Scam Calls & Smishing: How to Spot and Block Them

The Scale of the Problem

Scam calls and text messages are not a niche threat. In 2023, Americans received an estimated 60 billion robocalls, and text message scams (smishing) resulted in over $330 million in losses in the United States alone. Globally, the numbers are staggering.

These aren't unsophisticated criminals making obvious mistakes. Modern scam operations are professional enterprises with scripts, call centers, shift schedules, and sophisticated spoofing technology. Understanding how they work is your best defense.

Vishing: Voice Phishing Explained

Vishing (voice phishing) is the use of phone calls to deceive people into revealing personal information, sending money, or granting access to their accounts.

Common vishing scenarios include:

• IRS/Tax Authority Scams: Callers claim you owe back taxes and will be arrested if you don't pay immediately via gift card or wire transfer. The IRS does not call demanding immediate payment.
• Social Security Scams: Your SSN has been "suspended" due to suspicious activity. You must verify your number to restore it — handing it directly to the scammer.
• Tech Support Scams: "Microsoft" or "Apple" calls to warn you about a virus on your computer. They ask for remote access, then install malware or charge for fake "repairs."
• Bank Fraud Scams: Someone claiming to be your bank's fraud department calls about suspicious activity and asks you to "verify" your account number and PIN.
• Grandparent Scams: Targeting elderly people — a caller claims to be a grandchild in trouble, needing emergency money wired immediately.

The common thread: urgency, fear, and a request to bypass your normal judgment.

Caller ID Spoofing: Why You Can't Trust What You See

The phone number displayed when someone calls you can be completely faked. This is called caller ID spoofing, and it's trivially easy for criminals using internet-based calling services.

Scammers regularly spoof:

• The exact number of your bank (the real number on the back of your card)
• Government agency numbers (IRS, Social Security Administration)
• Local area codes to seem like a neighbor calling

Saw your bank's number on the caller ID? That means nothing. If someone calling you asks for sensitive information, hang up and call back using the number you look up independently — from the company's official website or the back of your card.

Smishing: SMS Phishing

Smishing is phishing via SMS text message. It's surged in popularity because people tend to trust text messages more than email and click links more readily.

Common smishing attacks:

• Package delivery texts: "Your package is held. Confirm your address here: [link]" — the link harvests your information or installs malware
• Bank account alerts: "Unusual activity detected. Verify your account: [link]"
• Prize and lottery texts: "You've won! Claim your prize at: [link]"
• Two-factor code theft: After stealing your password, scammers text you pretending to be a service asking you to "confirm" the code you just received — which is actually their login attempt

Never click links in text messages from numbers you don't recognize. If a message claims to be from your bank, navigate to the bank's app or website directly.

How to Spot a Scam Call or Text

Red flags that indicate a scam:

• Urgency and threats: "You'll be arrested," "Your account will be closed today," "Act in the next 10 minutes"
• Unusual payment methods: Requests for gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers, or Zelle — no legitimate business or government agency demands these
• Requests for secrecy: "Don't tell anyone about this call" is a classic manipulation tactic
• Remote access requests: Asking to install software so they can "fix" your computer or "protect" your account
• Pressure to stay on the line: Telling you not to hang up or call back on a different number
• Asking you to confirm personal information: Legitimate callers should already have your information — they don't need you to read your SSN to verify it

What to Do When You Receive a Suspicious Call

1. Hang up. You owe no one a polite conversation.
2. Do not call back on a number they provide. Look up the organization's official number independently.
3. Do not press numbers to be removed from a list — this confirms your number is active and can increase calls.
4. Never reveal any personal information, even to "verify" who you are.
5. Report the call: In the US, report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. This data helps law enforcement build cases.

Blocking and Filtering Tools

Technology can help reduce unwanted calls and texts:

• iOS: Settings > Phone > Silence Unknown Callers sends unrecognized numbers straight to voicemail
• Android: Google Phone app has built-in spam filtering; Settings > Spam and Call Screening
• Carrier tools: Most carriers offer free call-filtering services: T-Mobile Scam Shield, Verizon Call Filter, AT&T ActiveArmor
• Third-party apps: Hiya, Nomorobo, and RoboKiller provide crowdsourced scam number identification
• STIR/SHAKEN: A phone network standard now required in the US that verifies caller IDs — calls marked "Verified" are less likely to be spoofed

Register on the Do Not Call List

In the US, register your number at DoNotCall.gov. While this won't stop criminal scammers who ignore the list, it significantly reduces legitimate telemarketing and makes any remaining calls more likely to be fraudulent — making them easier to dismiss.

Remember: scammers succeed by creating emotional states — fear, excitement, urgency — that override your critical thinking. The moment you feel pressured on a call, that pressure itself is the warning sign. Legitimate organizations give you time to verify and decide.