Unwanted Calls

Have you gotten a robocall about a discount on phone, TV, or internet services? Scammers are pretending to be businesses and making robocalls about “discounted services” if you pay with a gift card. It’s a scam. Here’s how the scam works so you can avoid it.

During open season for the Health Insurance Marketplace, you might have seen an increase — maybe a flood — of ads for health plans. The ads might promise comprehensive health insurance…but the plan turns out to have limited benefits. Or it’s a medical discount card and not insurance at all. Some ads might promise rewards or rebates to anyone who signs up for a plan. Or they might say they’re from the government – or government-endorsed, hoping to gain your trust. How to make heads or tails of it all?

Scammers pretending to be from the government tell convincing stories to steal your money or personal information. But now they’re taking a new, layered approach — and here are some clues to spot it.