That Phone Call From Google Is Probably a Scam

You probably know by now not to pick up or respond to the barrage of communication from numbers you don't recognize—this gets easier as smartphones roll out more robust scam detection and spam prevention features. But you are less likely to be suspicious of a call from a contact you recognize, whether that's a friend, family member, or organization you do business with.

Scammers know this, and they're capitalizing on your trust with a trick known as caller ID or phone number spoofing, an attempt to convince you to hand over personal information—like bank account numbers and login credentials—or send them money, or both.

Scammers can pretend to call you from a number you trust

Caller ID spoofing involves manipulating the contact information that appears on your phone when you receive a c