Answering your phone when it rings and it is a number you have never seen before can be a little scary. When you see the number 61285034690, should you pick it up, ignore it, or block it? It is a number that has gotten its fair share of attention and has a ton of people wondering if it is a scam or a real business trying to get a hold of you.
This guide is going to help you understand what is known so far about the number and its calls. The number has received multiple different calls and has gotten multiple different responses to it, so we will be explaining the number's risk involvement. But more importantly, we will be going through steps you can take to identifying the caller and predicaments.
Understanding the Number 61285034690
It is an example of an Australian phone number. The leading code is +61, which is Australia. The (02) area code is also New South Wales, which is Sydney. This number has all the appearances of a land line number from a populated city, however, you should never assume you know what the answer is and the internet is a crazy place.
So I guess a bank named NAB is one of Australia’s biggest banks. Some people say this number comes from a collection department employed by them. They say they are calling about overdue payments like credit cards, loans, or overdrawn accounts. At the very least, people say the calls are probably automated, but there is no denying they are real calls.
However, a lot of reports claim 61285034690 is a scam. For example, people are saying, even if they don’t bank with NAB, they’ve been getting constant calls. They describe the calls as automated with a strange American accent, which is even more suspicious. Some people eventually called the bank and they claim NAB does not contact clients in this manner, making people more sure the calls are fake scams.
Is It a Scam? Red flags people suspect of.
To make such a claim based on the wide variety of information would be pretty difficult. But based on the concern people have as the reports of this number keep coming, it is probably best to have extreme caution. Scammers often disguise their numbers to make it seem more legitimate in a technique called spoofing, which is probably what’s going on here.
What is Caller ID Spoofing?
Caller ID spoofing lets scammer change the number that shows up on the phone. They can even make it look like it's coming from someone's bank, a government office, and local businesses. While the number on the phone may say this, the call could be from anywhere in the world. This is used in phishing scams in order to gain someone's trust.
Common Red Flags Associated with 61285034690
According to user reports, these are some of the possible signs of a scam when the number this number is displayed.
- Automated Messages: Recorded voice on the call. The scam system is automated just like a business would be.
- Urgent Requests for Information: They try to hurry you to do something within the message and enter something personal like a phone number, account, or PIN to “verify” your identity.
- Generic Greetings: The message doesn’t say your name or uses a name that isn’t yours. This is because scammers are calling random numbers.
- Weird Accents: A caller message from an Australian bank should never have an American or other foreign accent, as this is blatantly suspicious.
- Not Your Bank: Another dead giveaway is if they are calling you from NAB, but you have no accounts. It's clearly a scam.
How To Handle a Call From 61285034690?
When a call from this number comes, it's a good idea to just stay safe and keep calm. Don't act too quickly because feeling hurried might encourage you to act improperly.
1. Don’t Pick Up Right Away
If you have no idea who is calling you, let it go to voice mail. Important messages are usually left, and if it is a scam call, they won't leave a message. This gives you a chance to screen your calls and cut out the risk of dealing with a scammer.
2. Don’t Share Your Info
If a scammer is calling you, they might ask you for your sensitive information if you happen to answer the call. If this ever happens, just hang up. Don't ever say your full name, your date of birth, your address, your bank information, or passwords and one-time passcodes to anyone who you are not expecting an important call from. If a company is legitimate, you will not be questioned for these details.
3. Check Who is Calling
If the person is claiming to be with NAB or another organization; don’t trust the information. Just hang up and look up official contact numbers for the organization from their website or the back of your bank card. Make the call yourself, and ask if they were trying to contact you. That is the only way you can know for sure if it is a scam or real.
4. Ignore the Call
If you think it is a scam call or don’t want to receive the call again, you can use your smartphone features to block it. Scammers can use many different numbers, but blocking each one can lessen the amount of annoying calls.
What if the Call is from NAB
While many claims this number is used for scams, there is also a chance it is used by NAB for debt collections. A handful of users say the calls stopped once the overdue payment was settled. If you are an NAB customer and have a late payment, the call is probably coming from NAB.
Even in this situation, the safest thing you should do is hang up and call NAB. Don’t make a payment or give any details to the incoming call. If you call the bank directly, you know you are talking to a real bank employee who can help you with any problems with your account and keep the conversation private. Any real employee at NAB will support you on this. They want to help you maintain your security.
How To Protect Yourself From Phone Scams
Being cautious and prepared is your best form of defense against phone scams. Simply knowing how phone scammers are operating will help you be able to see and recognize the dangers to your private and financial information.
- Be Concerned About Unexpected Calls: It is best to be on your guard with any and all unexpected calls, especially when they attempt to create a sense of urgency and/or fear.
- Employ Spam Blocker Services: Install a call filtering service like Truecaller. It uses user generated databases to instantly block known spam and scam contact numbers.
- Notify Authorities of The United Scam Calls: If you receive a scam phone call, you may want to report the number to a scam service like Australia’s Scamwatch. This information may help them monitor scam phone calls to alert others.
In the end, even though 61285034690 can be used by someone real in some circumstances, the overwhelming proof of odd behavior and scam reports indicates that you should be suspicious of any calls coming from that number. Always check the information yourself and don’t give out any personal information in order to keep yourself safe.
