Save the world by asking questions: phone scam protection

Whether it's a phone scam, Internet scam, or some other type of scam, you need to know how to protect yourself.

One way to protect yourself: Don't give out any information.

One way to protect others: Stay on the phone and ask a lot of questions. Here's a few that I like to ask. These are used for those special people that call my personal phone number (that's on the National Do Not Call Registry).

• What's the weather like where you are? Then go on to talk about the wonderful conditions where I live. It's a great opportunity to sell them on your area.
• Where are you calling from? If they can't tell me that because of "security reasons", I press them by asking "If I guess it right, will you tell me if I get it?"
• Do you like your job? How long have you been in your current position? How can I get a job application?
  

I know people suggest hanging up right away. But think about it. The goal for a phone scammer (I'm not saying telemarketer. Many telemarketers are legitimate no matter how much you don't like them.) is to quickly find a victim. By preventing them from making another call, you can save effectively delay their feast. You might even save the world! :-)

If you're looking for "authorized" and practical measures of thwarting evil in this world, check these out:

• Register your phone numbers in the National Do Not Call Registry
• File a complaint with the FTC
• Review the FTC's advice about Consumer Fraud Against the Elderly
• Learn more from sites like ScamBusters