Counting Down Scam Safety Tips in the New Year

Counting Down Scam Safety Tips in the New Year

Posted:  January 07, 2025

5 ways to outsmart scammers in 2025!

The New Year can be a time of increased fraud attempts. By being one step ahead you can outsmart the criminal trying to take advantage of you. Pay it forward by sharing the following tips with your friends and loved ones!

  • Watch Out for the Grandparents Scam. Scammers call claiming to be your grandchild or loved one and need money fast for an emergency. These calls can feel very real, sometimes even sounding like your loved one! Before rushing to help take a step back to
    • VERIFY the caller’s identity. Ask personal questions only the caller would know.
    • HANG UP AND CALL the supposed family member on a number you know is genuine.
    • BE PROACTIVE! Talk about using “safe word” to quickly verify family members.
  • Let Your Voicemail Answer. Don’t recognize the number calling you? Send it to voicemail. If it’s important the caller will leave a message and you can call them back.
  • Beware of Caller ID Spoofing and Cloning. There have been reports that scammers are cloning “safe” phone numbers, like your Dr. or a medical office. If you receive an unsolicited call, never give any personal info if asked. When in doubt, hang up and call back on a verified phone number.
  • Shred All Papers Containing Personal Information. Scammers will try to get personal information from discarded paperwork. Keep your identity safe by shredding all papers containing sensitive information.     
  • Don’t Click on Links Unless You Know the Sender. Scammers will try to get you to click a link in an emails or texts. These messages can be very legitimate looking while leading you to someone trying to get your personal information. Delete and block these messages.

The Missouri SMP is here to provide you with information you need to protect, detect, and report potential Medicare fraud, errors, and abuse. If you think you or a loved one has been a target of a Medicare scam, call the Missouri SMP at 888-515-6565.

This project was supported, in part, by the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $662,347 with 100 percent funding by ACL/HHS. The contents are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, ACL/HHS, or the U.S. Government

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