Spoofing Caller ID has become a common practice for scammers. This way of attempted fraud is when a scammer deliberately falsifies the information transmitted to your caller ID display to disguise their identity.

But how do you know if the call you are receiving from a known number is a scammer or not?

Here are a few tips to help you recognize if the call is from a spoofed number or not:

1. Scammers often use neighbor spoofing so it appears that an incoming call is from a local number, company, or a government agency. When you answer, if it sounds like the caller is reading from a script — HANG UP!
2. If the caller is automated or asks you to press a button to stop getting the calls — HANG UP!
3. If the caller asks “Yes” or “No” questions and follows up with identifiable questions in regard to account numbers, Social Security numbers, mother’s maiden name, passwords, or more — HANG UP!
4. If the caller pressures you immediately for personal information — HANG UP!
5. During a call, if you feel like the caller is suspicious and your gut is telling you something isn’t right — HANG UP!

NexTier Bank will never initiate a call and ask for information over the phone, including account numbers, Social Security numbers, passwords, PIN numbers, or other personal identifiable information. If you happen to receive an unexpected call from NexTier Bank, please do not give the caller any information. Hang up and report the incident to our Customer Service Center at 1-800-262-1088.

For more information on Spoofing Caller ID, visit The Federal Communications Commission at www.fcc.gov/spoofing.