What Should You Never Say To A Scammer?


What should you never say to a scammer


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Information Leakage

Most people think the worst thing you can do is to send money to a scammer. Truly, losing money is a terrible blow. 

However, the worst thing you can do is to talk too much especially on an open line, for obvious reasons.

Scammers are trained listeners. Besides trying to steal from you today, they are equally collecting information to steal from you or someone who trusts you anytime in the future.
So to them, every word you say represents data.
Every answer you give is a clue.

Whenever a calling  scammer pretends to be a bank officer, a police officer, an employer, or even a lover, believe me, they already have a script, with gaps in it they need your cooperation to fill with your personal details.
Can you now understand that if you say the wrong thing, you make their job easy?

That's what I intend to talk about in this Safety Nets article.
To this end, my goal is to show you exactly what you should never say to a scammer, and why silence is your best protection.

Understanding The Dangers of Unguarded Talk

Let's face it: scammers typically operate with two weapons. The first is Fear, because it forces you to act fast or in panic.
The second is
information, because it gives credibility to their lies and makes their claims believable.

Are we on the same page?
Just imagine that someone calls to say your bank account has been hacked. They sound very professional and tells you they need to verify your account.
If you say something like "yes, my account number is 123456" , trust me, you have just given away the key.
Even if you do not give your account number, small titbits like
"My full name is John Ekanem"
"I live in Lagos"
"I bank with GTB"
"I am at work right now"
are enough pieces that can be joined together to design a strategy against you.

The simple fact you need to realize is this: scammers usually record calls, save chats, and build a profile about you. That profile is also sold on Telegram and WhatsApp groups to another fraudster, who may call you next month with a more personal story because now he knows your name, your bank, your job, and that you are looking for a job.

Another danger is voice cloning,  which uses AI to create a digital replica of your voice, aiming to capture your accent, tone, pitch, and cadence. 
For example, If you say words like "yes" , "correct" , or "my name is" , they can clone your voice and use it to scam your family.
I have heard of cases  whereby  a mother got a call asking for urgent money, from a voice that sounded exactly like her son's.
That was a cloned voice.

Besides, unguarded talk can also put your contacts at risk.
Look at these terrible possibilities or risks: 
if you tell a scammer that your brother is the one who helps you with money, they will surely go ahead to target your brother henceforth.
If you tell them you are the admin of your office WhatsApp group, they will definitely try to hijack that group.

So, I suggest you adopt the following  simple rules in order to stay safe:

  • Do not argue.
  • Do not explain.
  • Do not try to prove that you are smart.
  • Just stop sharing information.

Things you should never say to a scammer

At this point, let's cut to the chase and identify the exact sentences and types of information you should avoid giving or leaking to a scammer, no matter how real you may assume the call sounds.

First off, any genuine acquaintance  who calls you should already know who he or she is calling.
Don't ever tell any stranger  your full name, date of birth, address, or BVN.
If they say the information is  for verification, that is a red flag and you shouldn't buy it.
After all, we all know that authentic banks will never call you to ask you to confirm your BVN or full date of birth.

Perchance you give away your BVN and date of birth, scammers can attempt to reset your bank details or even impersonate you.

Secondly, avoid telling them your account number, card number or its expiry date, CVV, or OTP.
A scammer's most common trap is say something like this:
"we sent you an OTP to block the fraud, please read it out" .

Trust me, that OTP is actually the code they will use to move your money, so don't read it out.
Let's remind ourselves once again that no genuine financial institution will ever ask for your OTP, PIN, or CVV.
If you slip up, the moment you read out an OTP, your money is gone.

Thirdly, you shouldn't say words like "yes"  or "I confirm", because scammers usually record and edit them to approve transactions. So, rather than saying yes, ask them to tell you precisely what they want.
Otherwise, simply hang up the phone.

Also, try never to reveal your bank balance or how much you have in your account to anybody.
For example, if you say
"I have 500,000 in my account" , you have just told them how much they can steal from you.
If you say
"I have no money" , they will switch over to pretending to be a loan scammer, or ask you to borrow from your  friends.

Similarly, don't leak your personal or family details. Don't use sentences like

"I live alone" 

"My husband travels a lot"  

"My children school in Canada" 

"I am jobless"  

"I am desperate for a loan"

because each of those statements tells the scammer your blind spot. Frankly speaking, loneliness, greed, fear, and urgency are the four emotions scammers use the most.

Moreover, ensure you  always protect your passwords, security questions, and email recovery codes. Questions like

what is your mother's maiden name?
What is your first school? What is your pet's name? are all password recovery questions, and if you answer them honestly, you have given them straight license to take over your Facebook or bank email.

Moving forward, refuse to cooperate, because once you show willingness to pay, they will never leave you alone.
If you say
"I will pay tomorrow" , they will keep calling and pressuring you.
If you say
"I already sent it" , they will say the network failed and ask you to send again.

Furthermore, resist openly challenging scammers.
There's no gain in threatening that you have reported them to the police or that you know they are scammers. That only makes some of them to become aggressive or delete evidence or block you, making it harder to track them. Others will try to blackmail you.
Believe me, the best response is to end the call quietly and report to relevant authorities with evidence you have gathered.

Additionally, if they claim they want to help you fix your account, don't comply. Reject sharing your screen, clicking a link they send, or downloading an app like AnyDesk or TeamViewer.  Beware, if you share your screen, they will see everything including your bank app and SMS.

On a final note, you should  steer clear of telling anyone that someone else has access to your money, especially in statements like
"My brother knows my PIN"
"My wife handles my transfers"
"My business partner approves payments" etc.
It only gives them new targets to impersonate.
Instead, stay safe by using statements like these:

"I will go to the bank myself"
"I will call the official number."
Then hang up, block them, and report the incident.

4. Conclusion

Bear this in mind: the only thing a scammer needs to successfully defraud you is your confidential information, and not your permission.
Consequently, the less you say, the less he can use.

Also remember that legitimate organizations will never ask for your OTP or PIN, or threaten you with arrest in one phone call.
Therefore if a call makes you feel fear or excitement, back off, it's most likely a trap.

In case you have already said some of these things to a scammer, act fast by  changing your password, enable two factor authentication, call your bank to freeze your account, and notify your family members to make sure  they don't fall for a follow up scam using your name.

In such matters, silence is indeed golden, it is more valuable than speaking.
Protect it, because it is your safety net.

Self-Assessment Quiz 

How Safe Are You On Phone?

Answer Yes or No honestly.

1. If someone calls and says they are from your bank and asks for your BVN to verify your account, will you give it?
2. If you receive an OTP that you did not request, and someone calls and says read it out to block fraud, will you read it?
3. Do you say the word "yes' or " I confirm" when a stranger calls you?
4. Have you ever told a stranger on phone your account balance or said "I have no money"?
5. Have you ever told a stranger that you live alone, that your husband travels, or that you are jobless?
6. Do you answer security questions like mother's maiden name or first school honestly on phone?
7. Have you ever shared your screen or clicked a link sent by someone who says they want to fix your account?
8. Have you ever said " my brother knows my PIN" or " my wife does my transfers"?
9. When you get suspicious calls, do you argue or tell them you know they are scammers?
10. Do you have two factor authentication enabled on your bank app and email?

How to score your result:
8 to 10 safe answers means you are very alert, keep it up.
5 to 7 safe answers means you have some blind spots, review the post again.
0 to 4 safe answers means you are at high risk, change your passwords today and enable two factor authentication.

Correct safe answer for all questions from 1 to 9 is No. For question 10 the safe answer is Yes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Why is it dangerous to say yes on a phone call?

A: Scammers record your voice saying yes and edit it to approve transactions or to create a voice clone that can be used to scam your family. Instead of saying yes, ask them to explain what they want or simply hang up.

Q2. Will my real bank ever ask for my OTP, PIN or CVV on phone?

A: No. No real bank in Nigeria or anywhere else will ever ask for your OTP, PIN, CVV or full password on an incoming call. Anyone who asks for it is a scammer.

Q3. What if I already gave my BVN or OTP to a scammer?

A: Act fast. Call your bank immediately to freeze your account, change your bank app password, change your email password, enable two factor authentication, and inform your family so they do not fall for a follow up scam using your name.

Q4. Is it safe to share my screen with someone who wants to help me fix my account?

A: No. Apps like AnyDesk and TeamViewer give them full access to your phone screen including your bank app and SMS. Never share your screen with a stranger.

Q5. Why should I not tell a scammer that I know he is a scammer?

A: If you challenge them, some will become aggressive, delete evidence, block you, or try to blackmail you. It makes it harder for police to track them. The best response is to hang up quietly, save evidence, and report to your bank and relevant authorities.

Q6. What should I say instead when I get a suspicious call?

A: Say I will go to the bank myself or I will call the official number. Then hang up, block the number, and report.

Q7. Can scammers really clone my voice from a short recording?

A: Yes. With AI voice cloning, a few seconds of your voice saying yes or my name is John is enough to create a fake version of your voice. That is why silence is golden.

Q8. What is the biggest mistake people make after losing money to a scam?

A: The biggest mistake is staying silent out of shame and then falling for a second scam where someone pretends to be a recovery agent, police officer, or bank manager who can help you recover the money for a fee.

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