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The Daily Insight Hub

What should you do if you receive a phone call from a person or robot asking you for personal information?

Author

Matthew Harrington

Updated on January 26, 2026

If someone calls unexpectedly and requests your personal or financial information, try calling the organization they are representing to verify that the request is legitimate. Reputable firms never ask for personal information without significant safeguards.

Why am I getting debt collection calls?

But why do debt collectors call? You typically only receive collection calls when you owe a debt. Collection agencies buy past-due debts from creditors or other businesses and attempt to get you to repay them. When debt collectors call you, it’s important to respond in ways that will protect your legal rights.

Can you go to jail for not paying a payday loan in Texas?

You will not go to jail if you do not pay a “payday” loan. An individual who needs immediate cash due to a personal emergency can obtain a “payday loan” from any of the numerous payday loan companies throughout Texas. The borrower agrees to pay an exorbitant interest rate – often over 500 percent—for the loan.

What do I do if I receive a suspicious phone call?

Report Telephone Scams

  1. Report telephone scams online to the Federal Trade Commission. You can also call 1-877-382-4357 (TTY: 1-866-653-4261).
  2. Report all robocalls and unwanted telemarketing calls to the Do Not Call Registry.
  3. Report caller ID spoofing to the Federal Communications Commission.

What happens if you call a payday loan imposter?

The imposters told people they were delinquent on a payday loan or other debt and threatened them with arrest, jail time, or getting sued unless they paid by credit or debit card over the phone. Sometimes, the callers had personal information, like Social Security and bank account numbers, or relatives’ names.

What happens if you take out a payday loan?

IntroductionEven if you have never taken out a payday loan, simply by providing your personal information in an online application on a payday loan website will subject you to this scam. What happens is that your personal information – ALL OF IT – gets sold to third parties who may or may not have malicious intentions to make use of it.

What to do if you get a phone call from your own number?

If You Receive a Phone Call from Your Own Number, Ignore It. It’s a Scam Jenny, they got your number. Scams can come in all shapes and sizes. Maybe it’s a one dollar bill on a fishline. Maybe it’s an unexpected FedEx Package arriving on your doorstep. Maybe it’s a five dollar bill on a fish line.

Are there any legitimate payday loan collectors out there?

While there are legitimate debt collectors out there attempting to collect legitimate debts stemming from payday loans, I hope this guide can at least help you weed out potential scammers that want to do nothing more than separate you from your money. With that in mind here are the tips to spot a potential scam.