I received a phone call, supposedly from my internet provider. The young lady was very concerned.

Apparently they have noticed unauthorized access to my IP address, and I needed to shut that down. My system was compromised. Hackers could have access to my information.

I said I was okay with that. She didn’t listen, just repeated the same spiel.

I told her my internet is used by everyone in the community, that I have posted my password online to make it easier for people to access. That’s not true of course, but I wanted to see the reaction. She repeated the same message.

I told her I was encouraging the hackers. She stuck to her script.

When it finally sunk in that I was toying with her, she hung up. Didn’t strike me as terribly bright, but then she didn’t originate the scam and is probably paid a small wage to make hundreds of phone calls in the hope of duping someone.

She didn’t stay on the phone long enough, so I’m not sure what would have come next. Probably a request for remote access to my computer so they could “fix” the problem. Or send me to a particular website and ask me to download something (which my security software wouldn’t have allowed).

Scammers are getting increasingly sophisticated, but this one wasn’t. She tried to play on my fears, but didn’t manage to create fear to play on.

Maybe I’m too savvy for that sort of thing – which is the sort of arrogant attitude that could lead me to fall into a scammer’s trap. My rule is that I don’t trust unsolicited phone calls, even from companies I have a relationship with. (My internet and phone providers do phone regularly to try and sell me something I don’t want and need, but those people don’t insist on sticking to script.)

In this case, I knew the call was most likely a scam before I answered it. It was coming from an American phone number. When the caller said she was with my Canadian internet provider, the alarm bells immediately went off in my brain.

But not all scams are as blatant. How do we stay vigilant?

My basic rule of thumb is that if whomever it is calling requires immediate action, they are probably trying to manipulate me. They don’t want me to think.

When you get those calls, probably best just to hang up. If there was a real problem, the company will try again. I’ve never had a scammer call a second time once they realized I was on to them.

I hope they continue to be lazy.