BBB warns of phone scam using voices of Obama, Clinton

The Better Business Bureau issued a warning Monday about a phone scam that uses a recording of former President Barrack Obama or former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

According to the BBB, the calls pretend to be raising funds for a political cause. The BBB said the recordings are likely lifted from a speech. Another voice prompts you to push a button and speak with an agent, who will collect credit card information.

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The BBB says anyone who receives such a call should hang up immediately, and offered several tips to avoid political fundraising scams:

• Hang up. Don't press any buttons. We all like to have the last word, but engaging with the caller may just give the con artist information he can use.

• Watch for spoofed calls. Your Caller ID may say that someone from Washington, D.C. is contacting you, but scammers can fake this using phone number spoofing technology.

• Never give out any financial information. If you did not initiate the call, do not provide bank account, credit card, or Social Security numbers over the phone.

• Research fundraising organizations before donating. Be especially cautious of links that come to you through email or social media. Don't click through. Instead, go directly to an organization's website by typing the URL in your browser or using a search engine.

Cox Media Group