New twist on old scam

COLFAX—Scammers have a new angle from which to extract vital information from victims. A Colfax resident called Whitman and Latah county sheriff’s after receiving a call from someone posing as a Medicare representative. He was told Medicare was updating its information and needed his name and card number. When he resisted, multiple “supervisors” tried to convince him to give the number; “very pushy” all the time, the intended victim, who is in his 70s, told the Gazette.

“Never give your information out,” Undersheriff Chris Chapman advised. He noted that medical insurance companies already have all the information scammers are asking for.

If a citizen is concerned about whether the call is legitimate or not, Chapman advised to hang up the suspect call and call the company on a phone number you know is valid. If there is an issue, the representative you call back will be aware of it.