Almost every phone scam needs you to do one of two things: stay on the line, or call a number they gave you. Stop doing both and most scams fall apart. On the October 10 Computer Guru Show we walked through four rules that cover nearly all of it, and we put them in a free 10-page printable handout: How to Shut Down a Scammer (PDF). It is free to copy and share. Print one for a parent, a neighbor, or the break room.
The four rules
- Hang up. It is not rude. There is no such thing as a call you are required to finish.
- Call back on a number you looked up. Your bank card, your statement, your own address book. Never the number the caller gave you.
- Nobody real wants gift cards. No bank, police department, government office or utility has ever asked to be paid in gift cards, wire transfers, crypto, or cash handed to a courier.
- Tell somebody before you pay, not after. Scammers need you alone on the phone. Saying it out loud to one person you trust breaks the spell.
Why caller ID and "they knew my account number" prove nothing
A scammer can make any name or number show up on your screen, including your bank's real number. And a caller who knows your name, address or part of your account number has not proven anything either. That information is stolen in data breaches and sold by the thousands. The Arizona courts breach in September copied names, case numbers and Social Security numbers for about 1.3 million people whose court debt went to collections. Expect convincing calls and texts that quote real details. If you ever had court debt go to collections, freeze your credit at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. It is free and does not hurt your score.
What is in the handout
- The opening lines scammers actually use, from "Grandma, I'm in trouble" to "This is TEP, your power is being shut off"
- Five sentences that mean stop, and exactly what to say to get off the phone
- What to set up this week: a family code word, a trusted contact at your bank, two-step sign-in
- What to do if it already happened, in order, including Arizona's crypto-ATM refund rule
- A tear-out "Who to Call" page with Tucson and Pima County numbers, verified October 7-9, 2026
- Two cut-out cards: one for next to the phone, one for your family code word
For businesses
The same tricks hit offices: a fake "IT support" call, a fake boss asking for a wire, a vendor whose bank details suddenly "changed." The fix is the same rule, hang up and call back on a number you already have. If you want help putting call-back rules and sign-in protection in place for your staff, that is part of our cybersecurity service. For a real example of how a payment redirection plays out, see our invoice fraud case study.
Got a scam call or text you want a second opinion on? Post it here (cover your personal details first) and we will tell you what it is.
