Two of the most common scams are phone scams and robocalls. These calls are incredibly annoying and can trick you out of valuable information if you’re not careful. While it might seem like these scams are inescapable, there are some precautions you can take to avoid their traps. GIVE THEM THE SILENT TREATMENT. One thing you can do to avoid these fraudulent, time-wasting calls is to simply hang up. If possible, it is best to not answer at all. It’s always good to have a list of numbers you can reference, so you never have to guess who is calling. Think of it as going one step beyond caller ID. In some cases, answering and then hanging up can actually do more harm than good. Answering the phone gives the scammers confirmation that the number works and that they should try again. Once your number is confirmed as active, it often gets put on an “active number” list that can then be sold to other scammers who market in these types of phone numbers. If you can’t verify who is calling without picking up, don’t answer. Let it go to voicemail. If it’s important, the person will leave a legitimate message and you can respond afterward. PUT UP SOME DETERRENTS. You can even go a step further and block the calls. Many phone service providers offer call-blocking options, including AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon. You can sign up for this service in-store or on your service provider’s website. Each service costs about $4 per month. There are also a number of call-blocking apps available on Android and Apple devices, but if you subscribe to a blocking service through your phone provider, these apps are unnecessary. Finally, you can sign up for the Federal Trade Commission’s “Do Not Call” program (DoNotCall.gov). While the Do Not Call program can help cut back on calls, this list is largely ignored by scammers. If you’re getting a ridiculous number of robocalls every day, signing up can offer you some brief respite. Thankfully, Congress is already attempting to fix this problem by making it harder for scammers to call you. But until they are able to pass tough, effective legislation, it is up to us as consumers to remain vigilant and do what we can to keep our personal and financial data safe and secure. Ring, Ring — It ´s a Robot What You Can Do to Protect Yourself From Phone Scams and Robocalls
Getting to Know John Phillips MoreThan Just an Attorney
“I Practice What I Teach.”
I don’t think anybody can say their life and personality can be summed up by their career, and I’m no different. Even though I’ve worked as an estate planning attorney for the past 25 years, it’s not the only thing I do. With that in mind, I want to share with all of you some of my interests and things I’m involved in outside the office. For longer than I’ve been with Phillips and Blow, PC, I’ve sung low bass in the Colorado Symphony Chorus. I started singing when I was in high school, and I was a music major in college. Joining the chorus was a natural progression for my interest in music. Everybody in the chorus is a volunteer, but we’ve performed with some of the best professional choirs and orchestras in the United States. We’ve also been to cities across Europe, performing in Paris, Strasbourg, and Munich back in 2016. Along with my passion for singing, I have opportunities to use my expertise and talent for finance to help others in a few different ways. As a certified financial planner, I teach finance at Metropolitan State University in their CNP program. To provide assistance for the more at-risk population of our city, I also serve on the board of directors and the finance committee for AllHealth Network. AllHealth provides mental health and substance abuse counseling for people in the south Denver metro area. When I’m not singing in the Colorado Symphony Chorus or teaching finance, you might find me sailing out on one of Colorado’s lakes. I’ve heard it said that every sailor has a deep desire to drop everything and just sail across the ocean, but only 1 in 1,000 actually acts on it. I may not be that one , but I still love getting out on the water when I can. My wife and I enjoy traveling to visit our children who are spread across the country and in Italy. We also enjoy spending time with our dogs, Lezak and Loki. At Phillips and Blow, PC, we’re more than just attorneys, and we know that you’re more than a case file. We want to get to know you and your situation, so we can give you the help you deserve when you need it. Let us get help you get started with a free consultation. Give our office a call today at 303-741-2400.
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Trusts • Probate • Long Term Care Planning • Elder Law
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