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NFT: New (?) phone scam

Knineteen : 2/16/2018 3:04 pm
This is the newest one for me....

Someone from the "BCBS verification department" calls and attempts to phish information.
They ask to verify my name and state (which they already know).
But then ask for my family doctor's name?! Can scammers leverage that information in any way?

She then requested my birthday and hung up when I told her "1930".
I would think she would be more interested in scamming an elderly person, but I guess not. I'll have to make myself younger next time.
Fun fact: Your medical records are more valuable  
Ben in Tampa : 2/16/2018 3:06 pm : link
Thank your bank records on the black market right now
Just a thought  
jv : 2/16/2018 3:15 pm : link
but maybe they're phishing for legit Dr. information so they can call you back at another time and claim you owe money for a medical bill that never existed.
Also beware  
Beer Man : 2/16/2018 3:45 pm : link
sometimes those seemingly harmless questions are the same types of questions used on other sites as security questions
I Use and Update Daily an App Called HIYA  
Aloha Alan : 2/16/2018 4:03 pm : link
I suggest everyone download it as it identifies the BS that is out there either as Phishing, Scam, Spam, or Fraud.

I get a lot of BS Calls due to people looking to sell me Medicare Supplemental Insurance. I love the app.
I used to toy with the guys calling  
81_Great_Dane : 2/16/2018 4:56 pm : link
from "Windows technical support" to say there was a virus on "the Windows computer." (My family's all on Mac.) I would try to play dumb.

"OH NO!!!! THERE'S VIRUS ON THE WINDOWS COMPUTER??? WHAT DO I DO???? OH NOOOOOO...." On and on until the guy got abusive.
RE: I Use and Update Daily an App Called HIYA  
njm : 2/16/2018 5:06 pm : link
In comment 13834813 Aloha Alan said:
Quote:
I suggest everyone download it as it identifies the BS that is out there either as Phishing, Scam, Spam, or Fraud.

I get a lot of BS Calls due to people looking to sell me Medicare Supplemental Insurance. I love the app.


The amount of calls and mailings I got before signing up for a Medigap Plan was truly astounding. The volume dropped dramatically once I sign up for a plan. What's scary was that all these organizations knew I was becoming Medicare eligible. Same for AARP. How the hell do they know when everyone turns 50?

The fact that they hung up once he said "1930" might result from the fact that there is less opportunity to scam a Medigap Plan than a complete insurance plan.
So.....  
jnoble : 2/16/2018 11:50 pm : link
...maybe I didn't inherit a lot of money from my Nigerian benefactor?

Boy is my face red
BCBS  
Sec 103 : 2/17/2018 11:18 am : link
Business Cards and Bull Shit?
RE: I used to toy with the guys calling  
Jay on the Island : 2/17/2018 2:41 pm : link
In comment 13834850 81_Great_Dane said:
Quote:
from "Windows technical support" to say there was a virus on "the Windows computer." (My family's all on Mac.) I would try to play dumb.

"OH NO!!!! THERE'S VIRUS ON THE WINDOWS COMPUTER??? WHAT DO I DO???? OH NOOOOOO...." On and on until the guy got abusive.


I love when the IRS scammers call. It's always a guy with a thick African accent with the name Brian Smith. The last name is always Smith. Of course the IRS will NEVER call you. If you do owe them money they need to send it in writing. I try to keep them on the phone as long as possible so that they can't scam someone else who might actually fall for it.

One time I was at home and I kept the guy on the phone for nearly 30 minutes. At first I acted scared and asked what I had to do. I acted as if I was the dumbest person on the planet and kept asking him to repeat himself and his name. His name was Brian Smith IIRC but I kept calling him Steve or Mike and asking if that was correct.

I also told him to hold on as I had to go to the bathroom constantly due to a stomach virus I made up. I would put him on hold for 4-5 minutes and then come back and start the whole process over. I went to the bathroom 3 times and he stayed on the line for each one. At the end of the call I began laughing and he was obviously very angry at this point and I asked him how could he live with himself and let him know what a piece of shit that he is. He tried to continue to the charade and told me the IRS was on their way to arrest me and then he hung up.
I honestly don't know..  
FatMan in Charlotte : 2/17/2018 5:28 pm : link
how people even get phone scammed anymore.

If I don't know the phone number, I don't answer. Period. If it is important, I figure people will leave a message. The IRS and other legit organizations don't do that.
RE: I honestly don't know..  
Jay on the Island : 2/18/2018 11:43 am : link
In comment 13835342 FatMan in Charlotte said:
Quote:
how people even get phone scammed anymore.

If I don't know the phone number, I don't answer. Period. If it is important, I figure people will leave a message. The IRS and other legit organizations don't do that.

The elderly are often the victims. My grandfather was scammed after he was diagnosed with alzheimer's. He was a smart man who would never fall for any of those scams until the alzheimer's started affected him. There was a solicitor that came to his door feeding him some bullshit and my grandfather in his confused state broke out the checkbook. Once he did that they came several more times until my grandmother found out and had to take his name off the account. There are so many shitty people out there.

There are also A LOT of stupid people out there that fall for this. One night I was watching the show intervention and this drug addict had given over 180K to dozens of those email inheritance scams. He kept sending them thousands to handle the "processing fees" in order to receive the alleged millions of dollars. His response was classic. He told the crew that he knew most were scams but he was convinced that one of them had to eventually be true. Fucking moron.
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