How to confirm who you are dealing with without relying on the contact details supplied by a suspicious caller, text or email.
Use the steps below to slow the situation down, separate the claim from the pressure around it and keep a clearer record of what you checked and what you decided to do next.
Leave the suspicious channel
Verification is stronger when you stop using the phone number, email address or link that created the doubt.
Use a source you already trust
An official app, statement, card, previous correspondence or independently located website can provide a safer contact route.
Ask the organisation to confirm the context
Describe the contact you received and ask whether the request, reference or account activity is genuine.
Do not treat caller ID as proof
Displayed names and numbers can be misleading. The verification route matters more than what appeared on screen.
Practical checklist
Quick checklist
- Leave the suspicious channel
- Use a source you already trust
- Ask the organisation to confirm the context
- Do not treat caller ID as proof