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MEDICARE SCAM:
New Medicare cards are coming. Medicare will mail new Medicare cards between April 2018 and April 2019 . New cards will have a new Medicare Number that’s unique to each member, instead of a Social Security Number. This will help to protect your identity.
The new Medicare card will come to you in the USPS mail. You don’t need to request it or do anything. It will show up when Medicare gets to your number. Remember it’s a year long project so there is no relationship to when your neighbor gets their card.
The card is FREE!
Medicare will never call you uninvited and ask you to give personal or private information to get your new Medicare Number and card.
THE SCAM:
Somebody from “MEDICARE ” will call to tell you that you are getting a new Medicare card. But until it comes you will need a temporary card. Fee for the card is between $5-50 dollars. They want personal information (like your current Medicare Number), bank account or credit card so they can process your temporary card.
If someone asks you for your information, for money, or threatens to cancel your health benefits if you don’t share your personal information, hang up and call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
Click this link for more information on the Medicare website
CREDIT CARD SCAM:
A long time scam is still making the rounds. In this scam, the caller impersonates the fraud department of a credit card company like MasterCard or Visa. He does not use the bank name. He says he is calling to verify an unusual purchase which he describes in detail. When the potential victim says he did not make the purchase, the caller asks for the 3 digit security number on the back of the card. He already has the card number and now he has the security number to make charges!
If someone contacts you by phone about your credit card, ask the caller to provide his name, department, and extension, then hang up and call him back through the phone number listed on your credit card or billing statement.
The email version of this credit card scam is an authentic looking message from a bank advising you that an unauthorized party has tried to access your online account and you are ”required” to click on a link to provide your identifying information. DON’T DO IT!!
Check the email address — especially the part after the @ — for any message from a bank. The scammer can’t use the bank email address.
LOTTERY SCAM :
Several residents have received a phone call scam from a “Jim Kingston.” His number is 876-292-8454 , which is a Jamaica area code.
Victims are congratulated for winning the Jamaican lottery or a new car and then are directed to send a fee of up to $4,000 to process the lottery winnings.
Victims are told that once the fee is received, money will be wired to their bank account and the car will be delivered to their home. Many times the caller will tell the victim that a representative of the lottery is in the area and as soon as the process fee is received, someone will deliver a check to their home. Scammers often use Google Earth to identify local landmarks and make the scam more believable.
A key to the scammer’s success is convincing victims to promise not to tell their family members and to make it a big surprise. If the scammers feel they have a potential victim, the calls will increase in frequency, resulting in hundreds of calls as they try to wear you down.
If you are called on a landline and have wireless handsets, you can block the number by using the menu on the handset. On a cell phone, just click “block this caller”.
click this link for our scams flyer
The short list:
Phone: HANG UP
Email: DO NOT click on links & DELETE suspicious email
Online: Look for “https” at the beginning of the address and/or a padlock
At home: Deny opportunities for theft by FULLY closing garage door & locking doors & windows
Suspicious Activity: Observe & report to LPD. 9-1-1 emergency, 645-4040 non-emergency
The Alerts Team
Contact us: SCLHwatchAlerts@lincal.net