The scammers leverage caller ID technology to make it appear as if their call is from a credible government phone number. The scammers may introduce themselves as calling on behalf of HHS, state health department staff or a healthcare provider.
The scammers might already have some personal information about their target — like name, date of birth or address — to appear more credible. However, the scammer will then request additional personal information during the call, which the Ohio Department of Health emphasized it would not seek over the phone.
The Ohio Department of Health recommended individuals who receive a suspicious call decline to provide personal information over the phone, and instead call the named agency to verify the request, according to WHIO-TV.
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