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Scam alerts

Know the scam. Spot the scam. Stop the scam.

Each alert below breaks down one scam in plain English: how it works, the red flags that give it away, and exactly what to do. Share the "one rule" at the end with someone you care about.

Alert · Evergreen · Phone scam

The Grandparent Scam: "It's me — I'm in trouble"

How the scam works

  1. You get a call from someone who sounds upset: "Grandma/Grandpa, it's me — I've been in an accident / I've been arrested."
  2. They beg you not to tell Mom and Dad — secrecy is the whole trick.
  3. A second voice gets on the line — a fake lawyer or police officer — and says bail money is needed right now.
  4. They demand payment by gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency — money you can never get back.

Red flags

  • Urgency plus secrecy: "Don't tell anyone" is the biggest warning sign there is.
  • They can't video-call because "the phone is broken" or "the jail won't allow it."
  • Payment by gift card, wire, or crypto — no real bail works that way.
  • A sudden "official" voice joins the call to add pressure.

What to do

  1. Hang up. You can always call back — a real emergency waits.
  2. Call your grandchild on the number you already have saved, not any number the caller gives you.
  3. Ask a question only the real person would know the answer to.
  4. Report the call to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
One rule to share: When in doubt, hang up and call back on a number you trust.

Sources: Federal Trade Commission (ReportFraud.ftc.gov) · FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3.gov)

Alert · Evergreen · Phone / text / email scam

The Medicare Card Scam: "We need to verify your number"

How the scam works

  1. You get a call, text, or email saying your Medicare card is expiring — or a "new, better" card is on its way.
  2. To "verify" or "activate" it, they ask for your Medicare number, Social Security number, or bank details.
  3. Sometimes they sweeten it: free knee braces, free genetic testing, free COVID tests — all they need is your number.
  4. With your Medicare number, they bill Medicare for equipment and services you never got — or steal your identity outright.

Red flags

  • Medicare will never call, text, or email you asking for your Medicare number. Ever.
  • Threats that your coverage ends if you don't act now.
  • Anyone asking for payment for a "new" Medicare card — the card is free.
  • "Free" medical equipment or tests in exchange for your number.

What to do

  1. Don't share your Medicare number with anyone who contacts you first.
  2. Hang up, then call 1-800-MEDICARE yourself if you're worried.
  3. Check your Medicare statements for charges you don't recognize.
  4. Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to Medicare directly.
One rule to share: Medicare will never call you out of the blue. Hang up.

Sources: Federal Trade Commission (ReportFraud.ftc.gov) · FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3.gov)

Alert · Evergreen · Text message scam

The Package Text Scam: "Your delivery couldn't be completed"

How the scam works

  1. You get a text saying a package from USPS, FedEx, or UPS couldn't be delivered.
  2. It includes a link to "reschedule" or "confirm your address."
  3. The link opens a page that looks like the real carrier's site — but asks for your address and a credit card for a small "redelivery fee."
  4. The fee is fake. The goal is your card number and personal details.

Red flags

  • You weren't expecting a package at all.
  • The link's web address isn't the real carrier's site (look closely — scammers use lookalike names).
  • It asks for a credit card or full personal details to "redeliver."
  • Urgent language: "last attempt," "package will be returned today."
  • Odd sender number, strange wording, or typos.

What to do

  1. Don't tap the link. Delete the text.
  2. Track packages only through the carrier's official app or website — opened by you, not from a text.
  3. Forward spam texts to 7726 (SPAM) to report them.
  4. If you already entered card details, call your bank or card company right away.
One rule to share: Never tap a delivery link from a text. Open the carrier's app yourself.

Sources: Federal Trade Commission (ReportFraud.ftc.gov) · FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3.gov)

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