Avoid being victim of Internet scam

Date: August 20, 2007
Source: republicanherald.com


Scam artists have been around since Old Testament times, and most likely go back even further to a trusting caveman named Og getting taken in by a door-to-door cave-improvement company.

Nowadays, crooked individuals and companies using stone knives and bearskins to fleece an innocent victim may be hard to find, but those using more sophisticated, modern means are out there, especially through the telephone or the Internet.

A recent incident in Ashland regarding someone giving Social Security, banking and other personal information over the phone after being called about a Medicare prescription program alerted police to put out a warning about volunteering such information to someone without the person receiving the call being aware of the true identity of the caller.

According to Ashland police Chief Adam J. Bernodin Jr., the recent incident involved an elderly resident who received an unexpected call from the “Federal Health Care Program,” with the caller stating that the program could provide free help with Medicare prescription coverage. After providing the caller with personal information (Social Security, bank and other numbers), the caller switched the call to another person, who said there was a $380 one-time fee.
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