What should I do if an unexpected person contacts me for personal information?
Answer
Do not share passwords, codes, or ID details with an unexpected caller or message. Verify any real company or person through an official number or account page you look up yourself, then hang up and call back through that verified path.
Before you start: stop right away if…
- Real companies will not need your password or one-time code from an unexpected outbound call.
- Payment demands tied to urgent account threats are a common scam pattern.
Follow these steps
Stop sharing sensitive information
Do not provide passwords, one-time codes, banking details, or photos of ID while the contact is unverified.
You should see: No sensitive data is released during the unexpected contact.
End the original contact
Hang up or stop the chat if the person pressures you for immediate access or payment.
You should see: The high-pressure request is interrupted.
Verify through an official channel
Look up the company or institution yourself using an official website or app, then contact them through that verified path.
You should see: You confirm whether there is a real issue without trusting the inbound caller.
Secure accounts if anything was shared
If you already shared a code or password, change the password and review recent account activity immediately.
You should see: The account is secured and unknown sessions are removed.
Not sure this is the right page? Check here
0 of 5 checked
Extra tips
What to look for: Requests for passwords, one-time codes, remote access, payment, or full identity details from someone who contacted you first
Before you change anything: Do not approve device sign-in prompts you were not expecting. Do not install remote-access apps on demand. Write down the claim being made, then verify it independently. Protect voicemail and email recovery paths.