--- title: Consumer Council Scam Calls Alert | Hiya description: Consumer Council scam calls trick victims into sharing personal info. Learn how these scams work and how to protect yourself and your business. image: https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/shutterstock_1173699898.jpg --- [![Hiya logo](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/hiya-new-purple.svg)](https://www.hiya.com/) Solutions Solutions [For Mobile Operators Protect your network](https://www.hiya.com/solutions/operators) [For Businesses Brand your calls](https://www.hiya.com/solutions/businesses) [For People Get the mobile app](https://www.hiya.com/products/apps/hiya-spam-blocker) ###### Webinar Branded Calling 101 Weekly Webinar Make your company's calls more recognizable. Learn how Hiya can drive value for your business. [Sign up today Arrow Right](https://www.hiya.com/lp/webinar-series-intro-to-hiya-branded-call) Products Connect ###### [Branded Call Display your branded caller ID](https://www.hiya.com/products/connect/branded-call) ###### [Number Registration Display your branded caller ID](https://www.hiya.com/products/connect/number-registration) ###### [View Plans Flexible pricing for teams of all sizes](https://www.hiya.com/products/connect/pricing) Protect ###### [Spam Analytics Stop spam & fraud on your mobile network](https://www.hiya.com/products/protect/spam-analytics) ###### [AI Voice Detection Real-time AI voice detection](https://www.hiya.com/products/protect/ai-voice-detection) Mobile apps ###### [Hiya Spam Blocker Fraud & AI voice protection](https://www.hiya.com/products/apps/hiya-spam-blocker) ###### [Hiya AI Phone Productivity for busy people](https://www.hiya.com/products/apps/hiya-ai-phone) ![](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/sotc-report.avif) ###### Report State of the Call 2026 86% of unidentified calls go unanswered. Read the benchmark report for what is happening in voice today, and what you can do to drive business. [Read the report Arrow Right](https://www.hiya.com/state-of-the-call) Why Hiya? Overview [Why Hiya Your voice innovation partner](https://www.hiya.com/why-hiya) [How it works Get started quickly & easily](https://www.hiya.com/how-it-works) [Customer Stories Real companies, real results](https://www.hiya.com/case-studies) [Voice Intelligence Platform Industry’s leading voice platform](https://www.hiya.com/why-hiya/voice-intelligence-platform) [Trust Center Compliance, security, & privacy](https://www.hiya.com/why-hiya/trust-center) Company [About Leadership and history](https://www.hiya.com/company/about) [Careers We're hiring!](https://www.hiya.com/company/careers) [Contact us Get in touch](https://www.hiya.com/contact-us) ![](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/bclc-hero-img.webp) ###### Customer Story BCLC increases business KPIs with Hiya With Hiya Branded Call BCLC was able to increase contact rates, campaign efficiency, and revenue. [Read their story Arrow Right](https://www.hiya.com/customer-stories/bclc) Resources Resources [Resource Center](https://www.hiya.com/resources) [Partner Program](https://partners.hiya.com/) [Get Support](https://hiya.com/support) [Developer Docs](https://developer.hiya.com/) [Hiya Blog](https://blog.hiya.com/) [Newsroom](https://www.hiya.com/newsroom) [Events](https://www.hiya.com/events) ###### eBook 10 Tips for customer-friendly phone calls Prevent caller reputation issues and complaints with customer-friendly calling practices. [Read eBook Arrow Right](https://www.hiya.com/resources/ebooks/10-tips-for-customer-friendly-phone-calls) [Get Started Arrow Right](https://www.hiya.com/#audience) [Log in](https://connect.hiya.com/login) [Get started](https://www.hiya.com/#audience) - [Home](https://hiya.com) - [Blog](https://blog.hiya.com) - [Consumer Council scam calls](https://blog.hiya.com/consumer-council-scam-calls-hiya) [Hiya Connect](https://blog.hiya.com/tag/hiya-connect) [Hiya Protect](https://blog.hiya.com/tag/hiya-protect) [Scam Trends](https://blog.hiya.com/tag/scam-trends) [Spam & Fraud Protection](https://blog.hiya.com/tag/spam-fraud-protection) # Consumer Council scam calls [Hiya Team](https://blog.hiya.com/author/hiya-team) Oct. 19, 2023 [![](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/icon-fb.svg)](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://blog.hiya.com/consumer-council-scam-calls-hiya) [![](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/icon-x.svg)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://blog.hiya.com/consumer-council-scam-calls-hiya&text=Consumer+Council+scam+calls) [![](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/icon-linkedin.svg)](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://blog.hiya.com/consumer-council-scam-calls-hiya) ## At a glance ![Consumer council scam calls](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/shutterstock_1173699898.jpg) Smartphones keep us conveniently connected to the world, but fraudulent calls cause problems for many consumers. Criminals employ persuasive techniques, from impersonating authoritative figures to crafting compelling stories that prey on people's fears and desires. While scam calls take various forms, one particularly insidious tactic has been gaining prominence—fraud calls claiming to be from the Consumer Council.  If you find yourself asking, “Why is the Consumer Council calling me?” refrain from providing any information before doing some digging. This article takes a deep dive into these calls and how consumers, enterprises, and carriers can fight back. ##### What is the Consumer Council scam? The American Consumer Council is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to consumer education, advocacy, and financial literacy. Scammers claim to be with the Consumer Council to gain sensitive information from consumers, ultimately preying on the vulnerability and trust of unsuspecting individuals. Unfortunately, these actors are using the face of a system designed to protect the consumer while exploiting people instead, which is why some consumers fall for this scam. They may use official-sounding language and claim to be investigating a consumer complaint or offering assistance with a consumer-related issue, especially regarding healthcare, debt relief, insurance, or even job opportunities. For example, scammers impersonating the Consumer Council have preyed on victims by telling them that online retail shops they’d visited had violated the Trade Descriptions Ordinance. During these calls, the scammers asked the recipients for their online bank account numbers and passwords under the pretense that they were handling a case. Even though this may have sounded legitimate to an unsuspecting recipient, scammers can take their private information and make all kinds of purchases or engage in other illegal activities. Fraudulent Consumer Council calls impersonate an authority figure and use tactics such as: - **Creating a sense of urgency**: To manipulate victims into taking immediate action, scammers frequently employ high-pressure tactics. They might warn of impending legal action, fines, or the suspension of services if the victim does not cooperate promptly. - **Requesting personal information**: Scammers will often ask for personal information such as social security numbers, bank account details, credit card numbers, or other sensitive data under the guise of verifying the victim's identity or resolving an issue. - **Demanding payment**: In some cases, scammers may demand payment for supposed services or fees. They may ask for payment via wire transfers, prepaid debit cards, or other untraceable methods, making it difficult for victims to recover their money. - **Threats and intimidation**: To maintain control over their victims, scammers may resort to threats, intimidation, or scare tactics. They may claim that failure to comply will result in legal consequences or damage to the victim's credit score. ##### How to tell the call is a scam Now that we know what these scam calls can sound like, how else can consumers protect themselves and their information? Aside from being more aware of these fraudulent phone calls, consumers can also gain a better understanding of the real purpose and behaviors of the Consumer Council. For instance, the Consumer Council has said it does not initiate contact with consumers. If a caller claims to be from the Consumer Council, be cautious and call the hotline (852)-2856-3113 to verify their authenticity before providing any information. It’s also important to remember that just because a caller knows personal information about you doesn’t mean you can trust them. Scammers can acquire public personal information, so they can so persuasively pose as an authority figure over the phone. Consumers should refrain from disclosing further sensitive information until they have verified their true identity. Keep in mind that this organization's official authorities will not try to get sensitive information over the phone like your bank account password, nor will they request that you transfer money to a random bank account—asking for those details is a red flag. If callers posture themselves as officers of law enforcement or government organizations and want personal information, get in contact with the official offices of the respective agencies or organizations and verify their identities. ##### Fight back against scam calls There will always be scammers looking to manipulate the public, even if it means impersonating organizations designed to help the public. To tackle this threat from every angle, consumers should educate themselves on common scam tactics like Consumer Council impersonation and ensure their own phone lines are protected. To do that, individuals can check with their phone carrier to see if it offers protection from spam and fraud calls, such as a call protection service powered by [Hiya Protect](https://www.hiya.com/products/protect). Consumers can also download the [Hiya app](https://www.hiya.com/products/app) to protect themselves from spam and fraud calls. Carriers can shield their customers from phone scams like these by adding [Hiya Protect](https://www.hiya.com/products/protect), which blocks or labels spam and scam calls with high accuracy and without blocking essential calls. Not only does it reduce crime over the phone, but many phone carriers, mobile phone manufacturers, and network providers adopt Hiya Protect to bolster their customer satisfaction and business offerings.  Enterprises can do their part to help their customers feel safe answering the phone by adding [Hiya Connect](https://www.hiya.com/products/connect), which enables businesses to display their company name, logo, and reason for the call on the recipient’s mobile phone. [Branded caller ID](https://www.hiya.com/branded-call) identifies who is calling so customers will not be afraid to answer their phones when your business tries to reach them. According to [Hiya’s State of the Call 2023](https://www.hiya.com/state-of-the-call), 87% of consumers think unidentified calls are fraud—so adding branded caller ID is key to getting through to more of your customers. When evaluating branded caller ID solutions, there are a few questions you should ask. Get the full list and make the best decision for your organization by checking out our [Branded Call Checklist and Buyer's Guide](https://work.hiya.com/branded-caller-id-buyers-guide?hsLang=en). [![banner-hiya-reg](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/banner-hiya-reg.jpg)](https://www.hiya.com/products/connect/number-registration) ### Latest Articles ⚡️ - Hiya awarded 16 G2 Summer 2026 badges for branded caller ID Lena Prickett Jul. 9, 2026 - How Canada is leading the fight to stop bank scams Stephanie Boulanger Jun. 26, 2026 - How to check phone numbers for spam labels Michelle Wallace Jun. 9, 2026 ## Related articles ![](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/rogers-toronto-event-blog-hero.webp) ## [How Canada is leading the fight to stop bank scams](https://blog.hiya.com/how-canada-is-leading-the-fight-to-stop-bank-scams?hsLang=en) Stephanie Boulanger Jun. 26, 2026 ![](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/Blog_How-to-check-phone-numbers-for-spam-labels_B.webp) ## [How to check phone numbers for spam labels](https://blog.hiya.com/how-to-check-phone-numbers-for-spam-labels?hsLang=en) Michelle Wallace Jun. 9, 2026 ![](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/Hiya%20x%20DNA-blog@2x.webp) ## [Hiya and DNA Finland launch network-level call protection](https://blog.hiya.com/hiya-and-dna-finland-launch-network-level-call-protection?hsLang=en) Stephanie Boulanger Jun. 2, 2026 [![](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/hiya-new-purple.svg)](https://www.hiya.com/) [![](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/linkedin-1.svg)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/hiyainc) [![](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/facebook-1.svg)](https://www.facebook.com/hiyainc/) ###### Products - Connect - [Number Registration](https://www.hiya.com/products/connect/number-registration) - [Branded Call](https://www.hiya.com/products/connect/branded-call) - [View Plans](https://www.hiya.com/products/connect/pricing) - Protect - [Spam Analytics](https://www.hiya.com/products/protect/spam-analytics) - [AI Voice Detection](https://www.hiya.com/products/protect/ai-voice-detection) - Apps - [Hiya Spam Blocker](https://www.hiya.com/products/apps/hiya-spam-blocker) - [Hiya AI Phone](https://www.hiya.com/products/apps/hiya-ai-phone) ###### Solutions - Company size - [Enterprise](https://www.hiya.com/solutions/enterprise) - [Call Centers](https://www.hiya.com/solutions/call-center) - [Small and Medium](https://www.hiya.com/solutions/businesses) - Service providers - [Operators](https://www.hiya.com/solutions/operators) - [OEMs and technology](https://www.hiya.com/solutions/technology-partners) ###### Considering Hiya? - [Why Hiya](https://www.hiya.com/why-hiya) - [How it Works](https://www.hiya.com/how-it-works) - [Customer Stories](https://www.hiya.com/case-studies) - [Voice Intelligence Platform](https://www.hiya.com/why-hiya/voice-intelligence-platform) - [Trust Center](https://www.hiya.com/why-hiya/trust-center) - [Modern Slavery](https://www.hiya.com/company/modern-slavery) - [About Hiya](https://www.hiya.com/company/about) - [Careers: We're hiring!](https://www.hiya.com/company/careers) - [Contact us](https://www.hiya.com/contact-us) ###### Resources - [Resource Center](https://www.hiya.com/resources) - [Partner Program](https://partners.hiya.com/) - [Get Support](https://hiya.com/support) - [Developer Docs](https://developer.hiya.com/) - [Hiya Blog](https://hiya.com/blog) - [Events](https://www.hiya.com/events) - [Press Kit](https://www.hiya.com/newsroom#press-kit) ![ANAB](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/logo-anab.svg) ![ISO 27001](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/logo-iso27017.png) ![AICPA](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/logo-aicpa.svg) ![IAF](https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/logo-iaf.svg) [Privacy Policy](https://www.hiya.com/legal/privacy) [Terms of Service](https://www.hiya.com/legal/terms-of-service) [App Data Privacy Policy](https://www.hiya.com/legal/app-data-protection-and-privacy-policy) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Hiya Team", "url" : "https://blog.hiya.com/author/hiya-team" }, "dateModified" : "2025-10-08T17:00:55.862Z", "datePublished" : "2023-10-19T20:03:01.000Z", "headline" : "Consumer Council Scam Calls Alert | Hiya", "image" : [ "https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/shutterstock_1173699898.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.hiya.com/consumer-council-scam-calls-hiya", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.hiya.com/hubfs/hiya-logo-3.svg" }, "name" : "Hiya Inc." } } ```