Missouri SMP is sharing tips to help stop consumer fraud
Posted: March 08, 2023
Missouri Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) wants to share some great tips to recognize National Consumer Fraud week, which is March 5 – 11, 2023. Our focus is on suspected Medicare fraud, errors, and abuse; however, we share information from many government agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission.
Your personal information is very valuable to scammers. This includes your name, address, phone number, Social Security number, bank account routing and account number, tax ID number, and your Medicare number.
Get educated to protect yourself
Like a fox trying to get into a hen house, scam artists are always looking for areas of weakness. Don’t give them an opportunity to exploit you!
Consumer scams can include emails, telephone calls, social media, text messaging, advertising, or door-to-door. Many scammers are now even using a combination of these tactics.
Check out the latest combination scam here: Missouri SMP Callback Phishing blog post
Learn the common consumer scams, and find out how to protect yourself against them. Just like Medicare fraud, your best bet is to be aware and alert to prevent these scams from happening to you!
Banking scams
- Never wire money to people you do not know.
- If you get an email from your bank, never click any of the links to “verify” your account. Instead, call your bank using the phone number listed on their website.
- Learn more at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Tax scams
- Beware if someone claiming to be from the Internal Revenue Service calls you. The IRS uses the U.S. Mail first to contact people about any unpaid taxes.
- Be suspicious of people demanding that you pay taxes by wire or with a prepaid debit card.
Housing scams
- Think twice about a rental property if the property owner wants you to sign a lease before you see the property.
- If the owner wants to charge you to tour the apartment, find another option.
Best practices for online safety
Computers are another way scammers can cause big trouble. Keep your computer software up to date with the latest versions of operating systems, web browsers and security patches.
Passwords should be unusual, avoiding common words or numbers like your birthday or wedding anniversary. Use new passwords for each account.
Enroll in fraud prevention alerts from your bank. Be sure to review your bank statements for any suspicious activity.
Consumer fraud reporting guidelines
Consumer fraud laws were written to help protect Missourians. Reporting your experience helps law enforcement agencies track scam patterns.
Learn where you can report different types of scams with these helpful directories of federal agencies:
Stop Scams and Fraud at USA.Gov
It’s a good idea to gather any documentation before you report a scam. This includes:
- Phone numbers
- Emails
- Packaging or package inserts
- Receipts
- Photos or copies of advertisements or offers