Have you run into issues with an account - or had a problem with an online order?
Reaching out to customer service can be a huge challenge these days, since many companies don't even list phone numbers anymore.
The problem is that numbers you do find through a simple Google search may not be phone numbers you can trust.
Woman scammed trying to get help from Facebook
Sylvia Phillips has been cleaning up her home this summer, and posted a few items to sell on Facebook Marketplace.
That's when the scams started.
"I got an immediate reply from a lady who asked if the items were still available and I said yes," she said.
The so-called buyer told her to download a Google Voice code, and text it back to her, to verify her identity.
She did, but it didn't feel right, and she immediately suspected a scam.
"At this point I'm like oh my God what have I done?" Phillips said.
So she decided to call Facebook customer service for help.
"I Google numbers for customer service, and several came up. And I called the first one," she said.
She got a helpful agent who told her to download an app onto her phone, and he would check to see what was going on.
But that was scam number two.
"I now see that any customers service numbers for Facebook are scams," she said. "You can only contact Facebook online."
But it was too late. She had downloaded an app that lets someone remotely take control of your laptop of phone.
Amy Nofziger with the AARP Fraud Watch Network says searching for a phone number anywhere other than a company's website could lead to trouble.
"We know that criminals are placing fake customer service phone numbers online," she said.
Sometimes that search will even take you to a look-alike website.
How to protect yourself
Instead, she says follow the prompts for getting help on the company's site.
The company may offer a live chat or an email address.
She says you can easily stumble upon these fake numbers when you are trying to reach a company like Facebook that has no way to speak with a live person.
"Often times when people are trying to circumvent to get a secret backdoor, that's when they find the criminal," Nofziger said,
She says if you're on the phone with a help-line, hang up if the representative pressures you to give up personal information like a PIN.
Or if they ask for gift cards or payment via Zelle or Venmo.
Sylvia Phillips has now changed all passwords, and put a fraud alert on her accounts.
"You just can't take anyone at face value anymore," she said.
So be extra careful, so you don't waste your money.
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