Picture this: You’re casually living your best life when bam! – a voicemail from a mystery caller reminds you about a $52,000 loan application you never made. Spoiler alert: It’s a scam! But hey, no worries. Let’s laugh in the face of danger and arm ourselves with the know-how to dodge these crafty crooks.

Here’s how the scam goes down: You get an unexpected call from someone claiming you’re “prequalified” for a loan. Plot twist: you aren’t. These tricky callers want you to spill your personal secrets like your Social Security number, bank account digits, or even your birth date. They might spin a tale about an almost-complete application that just needs a smidge more info. Spoiler: still not true. They’ll sprinkle in phrases like “I hope you don’t miss out” or “no pressure” to speed up your decision-making. (Translation: “Hurry up and fall into our trap!”)

And if you get a voicemail, they might offer to take you off their call list if you ring them back. Spoiler: Another sneaky tactic!

What’s their master plan? To bombard you with calls from different numbers, hoping you’ll eventually cave in. But here’s your anti-scam battle plan:

  1. Never call back. Seriously, resist the urge! Returning the call could open the floodgates to even more scammy shenanigans.

  2. Don’t trust caller ID. Scammers have a magical ability to spoof numbers, making them look local or even like your trusted neighborhood government office. Spoiler: They aren’t.

  3. Block that number! Dive into your phone’s settings, app store, or your phone provider’s website to discover call-blocking or labeling services. If any scam calls sneak through, they’ll likely show up as “spam” or “scam likely” on your screen. Warning: “scam likely” is not your new best friend.

  4. Report them! Unwanted calls cramping your style? Report them to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Don’t forget to include the numbers that appear on your caller ID and any sneaky return-call numbers they give you.

For a visual pep talk, check out a video on how to stop these pesky calls on your cell phone. And remember, the next time a scammer calls, you’ve got the knowledge to hang up with flair.

Original article URL: FTC Consumer Protection

Original article: https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2025/09/ignore-unexpected-calls-about-loans-you-didnt-apply