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Phone scam impersonating Oakland County Health Division targeting older adults

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Posted at 2:54 PM, Feb 26, 2020
and last updated 2020-02-26 14:54:56-05

OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. (WXYZ) — A phone scam targeting older adults has been circulating in Oakland County, officials say.

Scammers impersonate Oakland County Health Division employees.

County officials say numerous older adults reported receiving a phone call from the Health Division requesting social security and Medicare numbers for: Medicare billing, a Medicare breach, or because their doctor said they qualified for a knee brace.

“This scam targets older adults to obtain their sensitive information by impersonating our organization,” said Leigh-Anne Stafford, health officer for Oakland County. “If you receive a call and are unsure if it is a scam, ask the caller for their name, a return phone number and avoid sharing any personal information over the phone. Then report suspicious behavior to authorities.”

The Oakland County Health Division does not contact residents to request personal or protected information over the phone.