Fraud watch mailbag provides feedback and sobering tales

By ELLIOTT GREENBLOTT
Everyone is being overwhelmed by robocalls, email, and “snail mail” scams.  Some of these “phishing’ excursions are a bit crude with spelling or grammatical errors while others are “spear phishing,” very sophisticated and are targeted to specific individuals.  This column attempts to create awareness to the dangers and includes contact information to reach out to me with questions or comments.  This week I am dipping into the mailbag to share some of those messages.

Bob Oeser of Brattleboro forwarded a postcard stating “Message: 2019 Medicare Health Plan Update.”  The postage paid return postcard only asked for the recipient to confirm the mailing address, insert names (self and spouse), birthdates, phone number and email address.  Seemingly innocent information but valuable for the sender.  As I stated in my reply, this is a somewhat unusual tactic.  Postcards and postage are expensive, especially when compared to the virtually free use of the internet and could have cost the sender thousands of dollars.  While this could be a scam, it is more likely a deceptive marketing approach for a supplemental Medicare policy marketer or a data aggregator, an individual or company that collects and sells the personal data requested on the card.  My recommendation when receiving this type of inquiry is to refrain from providing any information especially when you did not initiate the contact and are unsure of exactly who is making the request (the postcard did not display a contact telephone number).  My second recommendation is to report the item and its message to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and to your State insurance watchdog or Attorney General’s consumer affairs office.

A reader from Bennington wrote to me addressing my recommendations for disposing of discarded computers, tablets, or cell phones.  He noted correctly that while my suggestions provide some safety concerning data stored on devices, there remains a risk of a data breach and that the removal and destruction of the storage chip, card or drive would provide total protection.  I agree but I also recognize that this is an extreme approach and for almost all consumers can be considered overkill.  In many cases, virtually all Apple devices and many others, it is impossible to remove the memory storage devices without destroying the technology.  For most of us, myself included, erasing the memory by returning the device to its factory settings or overwriting the memory, a process available on most computers, cell phones and tablets, is sufficient.  The steps and environment required to lift data off an “erased” personal device would be extreme and not worth the time and expense for most criminals.  The exceptions to this are commercial or institutional storage devices (businesses, medical facilities, government) where there is a potentially huge reward for extracting data.  These owners develop data management protocols and systems for this purpose.

A few readers from the northern and southern parts of Vermont reported a new twist on the Microsoft Tech Support Scam.  In these situations, a phone message was received from the “Microsoft refund department” requesting a call back to obtain a refund.  A Brattleboro resident noted that she reported the call to the Vermont Attorney General’s office which is something I strongly recommend. In addition, I ask that these scams be reported to the company referenced in the call or email so they can alert the public. 

SCAM ALERT – A critical alert for residents of New England related to one of the obsessions of many New Englanders – The Boston Red Sox (FYI – I am a native Vermonter and nearly lifelong YANKEE fan).  Given the recent World Series win by the Red Sox, many fans are eager to grab a small piece of the victory in the form of autographed mementos.  Forgeries and fakes are everywhere.  Protecting yourself from the scam and the loss of money requires vigilance and common sense.  Beware of deeply discounted items or eBay specials.  Stick with legitimate vendors who will guarantee authenticity.  A slip of paper with the words “We guarantee this to be authentic” means nothing unless the vendor is authentic and insured for forgeries.

Questions or concerns?  Email [email protected].

Elliott Greenblott is a retired educator and the Vermont coordinator of the AARP Fraud Watch Network.