Last Updated on November 15, 2024
Charlestown residents have received calls on their landline with caller IDs such as Quest Diagnostics and similar medical companies. One resident immediately recognized that the call was attempted fraud when the caller, in poor English, asked for personal medical information. After hanging up without divulging any personal data, the resident called back the number shown to find that the line was no longer in service.
If you receive a suspicious call, hang up. If you receive a call apparently from a familiar company, it’s a good idea to call them back at a number you can verify, rather than providing personally identifying information such as your Medicare, insurance, bank or credit card numbers. A caller ID can show any number and name that a fraudulent caller programs into his phone. Don’t be fooled! When in doubt, hang up and recontact the company at a number you know. A few calls to Charlestown landlines could mean that fraudsters have “harvested” our telephone numbers, and are attempting to defraud seniors.
Remember that medical insurance sales calls around open season can be an opportunity for scams.
Submitted by Ed Appel, Chair, Residents’ Council Safety & Security Committee