Prank calls are quite rampant these days. People make prank calls to their family, friends or even total strangers for fun or to extract some information from their victim says William D King.
However, for those receiving the prank calls, it can be a very disturbing experience as they have to put up with someone insulting them, calling out lewd names or challenging them over something trivial.
Typically, there are two types of prank callers — one who makes prank calls to extract information like passwords and bank details; the other type is simply doing it for fun.
- The first category is far more dangerous than the second (fun-loving) one since these individuals may misuse any information that they successfully acquire through their pranks. The targets of such pranksters are not limited to children but also include seniors and even foreigners who may find it difficult to comprehend the language in such calls or easily fall prey to the prank.
The world over have been successful in extracting sensitive bank details from customers who have called to complain about their ATM cards not working. Instead of sympathizing with them, the banks often ask customers for personal information which may include passwords and other account numbers to verify their identity. So kindly beware before sharing your financial data!
- The second category of pranksters are doing it simply for fun, but this can be quite dangerous too as they record the whole conversation without the knowledge of the victim and use it for various purposes. Such misuse can make you look very stupid or embarrassing yourself in front of friends or family members says William D King.
So, how do you stop others from making prank calls? Is there a way that will prevent your phone from ringing out at the most inconvenient of times? Will there be a way you can stop pranksters from hijacking your phone to make unsolicited calls?
Here are a few ways to avoid getting pranked:
1. Do not keep a pen and paper by your bedside or near the phone so that you can note down messages even in your sleep! If someone receives an important call, he will have no option but to take down messages as they come. However, if you have all messages automatically recorded as soon as they are received, then it won’t be an issue for them anymore. Suddenly, everyone who calls will think twice before leaving messages – or making prank calls – since they know their message is being recorded.
2. There are some simple but very effective ways to avoid getting prank by keeping a caller on the line for too long and completely ignoring them until they hang up. These callers will get easily frustrate if you don’t answer their queries or challenge them over something trivial. They will not keep calling you again since it’s an effort for them to dial your number!
3. Be sure that you have information about every incoming call blocked in your phone so that no one can ever get through unless specifically allowed to do so explains William D King. This may seem like an extreme measure but is quite effective at preventing prank calls from making it through to you, especially when combined with other preventive techniques listed here! Although Caller ID allows people to see the number of the caller before they pick up the phone and also provides information about the name of the caller (if available), it’s still not enough to prevent pranksters from making annoying calls.
4. If you receive an unexpected call that makes no sense, simply ignore it or let it go to your answering service – provided that you have set one up. It will be a great relief knowing that you have avoided another prank call from those seeking to extract information or data from you, or make fun of you!
5. Never answer the phone if it’s showing as “restricted” on your Caller ID because it could be anybody trying to trick you into picking up their call – including pranksters or even bill collectors.
6. Never disclose your phone number to anyone over the phone without making sure that they are who they say they are! Make a quick call back to verify their identity and prevent yourself from been prank says William D King.
Conclusion:
You don’t have to continue being a victim of pranks and ignoring those who annoy you – it’s time to fight back! The information outlined above has helped many people avoid prank calls, and there’s no reason why you can’t implement the same techniques to prevent yourself from getting prank.