Beware of Phone Scam Happening in the Gem State

Everyone needs and wants money. Most get a job and work for it, some are lucky and inherit it, and others decide to scam others out of their money. Scams are nothing new and have been happening for centuries, but they have evolved and changed in how they are executed and how to convince people to fall for them. Sadly, there are too many scams out there these days, and they come in a variety of ways. Some are through email, some are in person, and many are on the phone. There is a new phone scam going around in Idaho to be aware of, and falling for it could cost you dearly.

Beware of Phone Scams in Idaho

Phone scams occur daily, and this is one of the reasons many people choose not to answer their phones when an unknown number calls. From time to time, some will, especially if the area code is where you live. Most wait to see if a voicemail or text follows after a call, and if it doesn't, then likely the person calling wasn't worth your time, or is someone who knows you and knows you will call back. A new scam is taking place and is aggressively trying to pull off its scam. This new scam pretends to be Venmo and says that your account is being hacked. They leave a voicemail if you don't answer, but it doesn't stop there. They will call repeatedly to make it seem urgent and will do so until you either answer and fall for the scam or take the step to block them so that they can't contact you anymore. 

Venmo Phone Scam in Idaho

When this call comes, it will be labeled as 'Spam Risk,' which is a sign to not answer, but they will leave a voicemail saying they are Venmo and there is unusual activity in your account. What makes this scam a little different is that they will continue to call. This recently happened to me, and they called 9 times in under 5 minutes. They left a voicemail every time. It began to feel real until I looked up the area code and saw it came from Missouri, with the area code being 417, but if you look up Venmo, their area code is 855, and they are based out of New York. I blocked the number and, to be safe, changed my password on Venmo. Nothing has happened since, and no money has been taken from my Venmo account or my bank account. 

Get our free mobile app

Make sure not to answer a call that could potentially be a scam, and if they call and leave voicemails, make sure to do your research and to block the number if you feel it is a scam. If Venmo needed to get a hold of you, an email would be sent, and the lack of an email is a sign that the call is an attempted scam. Be safe and make sure not to give out any personal information over the phone.