This isn’t even cyber security IMO. It’s just social engineering and doesn’t require any kind of technical knowledge to understand or avoid.
Unless you’re dealing with mafia loansharks or something, there isn’t often immediate urgency on any kind of payments. And even if it is a loanshark, you’ll likely have an idea of the debt before being approached about it.
And government services take payments in the form of legal currency through direct means. Cash, cheques sent to a specific address (inside the country), bank transfers. Not gift card codes sent over the phone or chat.
If it’s legit, they’ll also know your name and other information. Though just because they do know information doesn’t mean it’s legit because they might have gotten your phone number with a name and other information attached. So use this as a way to rule out those who don’t know (in my experience they tend to just give up if they ask your name and you point out they should already have that information if there’s a warrant or whatever bullshit they are trying to tell you).
There’s scams that will call you and tell you that need to go to this specific website or allow them access to your bank account. One is phishing, the other is brute force. Both very popular scam tactics
This isn’t even cyber security IMO. It’s just social engineering and doesn’t require any kind of technical knowledge to understand or avoid.
Unless you’re dealing with mafia loansharks or something, there isn’t often immediate urgency on any kind of payments. And even if it is a loanshark, you’ll likely have an idea of the debt before being approached about it.
And government services take payments in the form of legal currency through direct means. Cash, cheques sent to a specific address (inside the country), bank transfers. Not gift card codes sent over the phone or chat.
If it’s legit, they’ll also know your name and other information. Though just because they do know information doesn’t mean it’s legit because they might have gotten your phone number with a name and other information attached. So use this as a way to rule out those who don’t know (in my experience they tend to just give up if they ask your name and you point out they should already have that information if there’s a warrant or whatever bullshit they are trying to tell you).
There’s scams that will call you and tell you that need to go to this specific website or allow them access to your bank account. One is phishing, the other is brute force. Both very popular scam tactics