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Jeremy Specht from Elkin Insurance is helping people understand the Scam and dangers of the insurance world and navigating all of their insurnce needs

SCAMS & THIEVES

We at Elkin Insurance care about our community and want everyone to be safe. You worked hard for your money and the agents at Elkin Insurance dose NOT want you to fall pray to the thieves and scammers.

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Fraud can happen to anyone.

Scam attempts that play on your emotions and seek to gain your trust are becoming more frequent and more effective. Elkin Insurance will never contact you and ask for personal information by text, email, or an unsolicited phone call. This includes unsolicited calls that ask you to obtain or provide a one-time passcode.

 

How scammers may contact you.

Their messages can sound urgent, seem familiar, often be poorly worded or contain other errors, and even use your personal information to convince you they’re legitimate.

Scammers can even pose as your agent or someone assigned to help you instead of your agent — you may see “Your Insurance Companies Name” appear as an email sender’s name, in the caller or text ID, and the telephone number displayed may be an actual Insurance telephone number.

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Here are some known scams to avoid:

1 - Scammers impersonating Medicare employees called many beneficiaries, telling them they needed to verify personal information or pay a processing fee to get their new card.

 

2 - A variations on the con may claim you need to replace or upgrade your Medicare card. Medicare will NEVER call you or email you.

 

3 - They might try to entice you to pay a fee to switch from a paper to a plastic card, or one with a chip.

Medicare DOES NOT offer cards with chips.

 

4 - Thieves ask for a new identifying number to “activate” your card.

 

5 - They may assert that your new card isn’t the right one and won’t work; they’ll offer to send a replacement if you provide personal information, such as a Social Security # or date of birth.  

 

6 - Another trick is to claim there’s been suspicious activity on your Medicare account. Medicare will NEVER call you or email you.

 

7 - Some might threaten to cancel your Medicare coverage unless you provide personal information. No one can cancel your Medicare.

 

8 - An unsolicited caller purports to be from, someone like your doctor's office, do due diligence and call the office using a phone number that you know is genuine.

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9- Be suspicious of any unexpected callers or visitors offering COVID-19 tests or supplies. If your personal information is compromised, it may be used in other schemes.

 

10 - Do not respond to, or open hyperlinks in, text messages about COVID-19 from unknown individuals.

 

11 - Ignore offers or ads on social media sites touting COVID-19 testing or treatments.

 

12 - A physician or other trusted health care provider should assess your condition and approve a request for COVID-19 testing.

 

13 - Be aware of scammers pretending to be COVID-19 contact tracers. Legitimate contact tracers will never ask for your Medicare number or financial information.

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14 -Con artists were telling Medicare beneficiaries that they were eligible for “COVID Wellness Kits” containing hand sanitizer or face masks. Or they were promised in-home COVID-19 tests or additional Medicare coverage.

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15 - Criminals have been posing as medical or hospital employees, telling people that their doctor wants them to be tested for the coronavirus. The crooks will set up phony appointments and demand that a copay be submitted in advance by credit card, citing a need for contactless payment.

 

16 - Fraudsters have been going to people's homes to administer fake tests for COVID-19. They've also set up sham drive-through test sites. Others have touted fake cures and treatments for an illness for which there currently is no cure.

 

17 - Con artists have been masquerading as Covid contact tracers trying to obtain your personal information.

 

18 - Fraudsters are hijacking Facebook accounts and posing as other people, boasting about having received an Health and Human Services (HHS) grant, ranging from $5,000 to $15,000, because of the COVID-19 crisis. 

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19 - "If someone you don't know offers to help you [buy groceries, prescriptions or supplies], be wary. Some scammers offer to buy supplies, but never return with the goods — or your money. Use an established delivery service or order directly from the store. Many grocery stores and pharmacies are offering contactless delivery.

"If you need additional help, the [government's] Eldercare Locator can connect you to services for older adults and their families. Visit the Eldercare Locator or call 1-800-677-1116."

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20 - Another trick is to claim your child or grand child has been arrested and needs bail or that they have been injured and needs money. Some claiming to be a relative want money to come visit or to return home.

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21 - There are also pop up Covid sites designed to gain your personal information. To protect yourself, only use official websites and facilities that you are familiar with.

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22 - Another Scam is to call saying that you won a prize like the "Publishers Clearing House" $5,000 per week for life, the only requirement from you to do is to pay a fee by means of a money transfer or Western Union transfer in the amount of $499. The key to their success is that they do not ask you any personal information, they ask you to write down some key steps for you to do and they sound very professional. DO NOT SEND MONEY TO PEOPLE YOU DO NOT KNOW!

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23 - You receive a unsolicited phone call asking if you have Medicare Part A & B. If you answer yes then they ask you if you want a debit cart to by groceries. If you answer yes then you have given them "legal permission" to have agents call and harass you to change Medicare plans. Please, Only talk to a local agent and not someone who calls you on the phone and starts to ask you personal questions.

 

24- Recently a client received a phone call claiming to be from their bank and stating that they were working with the FBI to catch a scammer. They asked her to move $180,000 into another account to bait the scammers so they could catch them. Fortunately her husband called their banking representative and after a lot of work she was able to prevent any monies from being transferred.

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25- Cut your internet or cable rate in half. Require that you pay the entire bill up front NOW!

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26- Scammers pose as your telephone provider then ask for your account login information then they use it to 

obtain your phone number to scam others under your number.

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27- You may get a text or email stating that you Amazon or other accounts are going to be suspended and need to click a link provided. DO NOT click the link! If in doubt call the company from a trusted and know resource instead.

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28 - If you get a text from someone that you do not know, please do not engage in a conversation.

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29 - Text about a Netflix, Amazon, Facebook account needing account information or account being blocked

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30 - You received a gift card in the mail from someone you do not know or do not expect. There are less protections on Gift Cards than you credit or bank cards.

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31 - You received a card saying that your car warranty has expired, please proceed with caution.

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32 - Facebook or other Social Media friend request from people that you do not know may be a scam and you could be communicating with AI bots.

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33 - Computer pop up’s saying you computer is infected with a virus and you need to download something or purchase protection. This is likely a trap.

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34 - Free software exist that lets callers falsely use your caller ID on a targets phone. So criminals might use your number or number that looks like yours or your bank number or that of a government agency such as the IRS, Medicare, or police department to get you to answer. They all suspicious and unexpected calls go to voicemail. Note that federal agencies will never call you or ask your Medicare or Social Security number or other identifiers.

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35 - Crooks can quickly and easily get you to send them Money via a cryptocurrency ATM, then it is likely gone forever. They text you a QR code and instruct you to scan it at a machine at a store or gas station. Once you scan the QR code and make your payment, your money is in their hands.

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36 - They text you a QR code and instruct you to scan it at a machine at a store or gas station. Once you scan the QR code and make your payment, your money is in their hands.

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37 - Criminals will use legitimate locations and place fake keypads over ATM machines to obtain your PIN numbers.

 

38 - Criminals will replace QR codes in places such as Walmart or other trusted vendors. Once you scan this QR codes you’re routed to where they want you to go so they can obtain your private information. To avoid this only scan QR codes from people that you know. And a boy doing business on the Internet for important things like banking and insurance.

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39 - Scammers called my wife saying that a collect call from Mexico was made on our account. He knew everything about our billing information so she believed him. he said that he was sending a text to her phone to verify that she was the correct person. I reality by giving him the\at number she had give him control of our account and someone then proceeded to purchase iPads and other devices in New York and it took months for the fraud to stop.

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40 - Scammers are now using AI generated voices that will sound like a close family member that is destress and will try to get you to send money. Best to verify the family member by asking them a question that only they would remember.

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Some Caribbean countries make a large part of their nations income by scamming Americans.

Don't be one of their next victims!

                      

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Email

Watch for phony-looking addresses—even if the sender seems familiar. Never open links or attachments in emails you don’t fully trust. Report email scams that pretend to be Elkin Insurance to info@elkininsurance.com.

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Text messages

Be suspicious of texts from outside your saved contacts. Don’t open any links or provide personal or account information.

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Social media

Seem like a real person in that chat, but strange links or requests for money are signs it could be a scam.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Phone calls

Scammers can use local area codes to get you to answer. Think twice before picking up.

Be Prepared

Keep a script by the phone and use it to thwart the crooks:

“I do not give out personal information in an unsolicited call."

 

If somebody is calling saying they're from "Medicare", the best thing to do is hang up!

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Remember

Do's

Don'ts

  • Do hang up immediately if you get an unsolicited call from someone who claims to be from Medicare and asks for personal information.

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  • Do destroy your old Medicare card, if you haven’t already. Run it through a shredder, or cut it up with scissors. 

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  • Do give your Medicare number only to trusted providers of your health care and coverage, such as doctors, pharmacists, insurers and state health agencies that work with Medicare.

  • Don’t share your Medicare or Social Security number with anyone who contacts you by phone, text or email or shows up unannounced at your door. 

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  • Don’t send or give your old Medicare card to anyone. Impostors may claim you need to return it. The government recommends that you destroy it.

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  • Don’t believe a caller is a Medicare employee simply because he or she knows some information about you. Scammers will have done their homework.  

Apps That Stop Robo Calls

If you use the device "MajicJack".

You can buy one online, Amazon or at Walmart.

How it works is when the Scammers call they have to press a number and the computers haven't figured how to do that so your phone doesn't ring at all.

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                                                                                                      Click

https://www.magicjack.com/

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If you want to use a mobile phone application to Stop all of the calls, try the following apps.

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Aura

https://buy.aura.com/scamprotection

                                                                                                       

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                                                                                                       Click

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Robokiller

https://www.robokiller.com/free

 

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Report

If you suspect a Medicare card scam, report it to Medicare at 800-633-4227. 

You can also call the FTC at 877-438-4338.

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SHOP LOCAL

The best thing for you and you friends is your trusted local agent who is here to help you.

Elkin Insurance is a trusted local source for reliable information where you can meet face to face with a professional agent at a brick and mortar office, online, on the phone or the comfort of your home. 

Call today and experience the Elkin Insurance difference. At Elkin Insurance "We Care About You".

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Call: 336-366-0960

Text: 336-366-0960

Email: Info@Elkininsurance.com

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Click to Call Now!

MAJOR MEDICAL

Major medical health insurance is a type of health insurance that covers the expenses associated with serious illness or hospitalization.

MEDICARE

We provide all the information you need on Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage Plans so you can make an informed decision. 

LIFE

The basic building block of financial planning is protection. By getting enough life insurance you are protecting your loved ones so that the money is there to continue their lives without disruption.

ANNUITIES

An annuity is an insurance product that pays out income, and can be used as part of a retirement strategy. Annuities are a popular choice for investors who want to receive a steady income stream in retirement.

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FINAL EXPENSE

Final expense insurance is designed to cover the bills that your loved ones will face after your death. These costs will include medical bills and funeral expenses. 

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