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Sheriff warns of Social Security scam circulating locally

By Greg Bebermeyer

08/08/2023

(KNZA)--Brown Co. Sheriff John Merchant says Social Security and Medicare scammers are targeting county residents.

Merchant, in a release Tuesday, said an " alarming number of county residents" are reporting that they are receiving phone calls from individuals representing themselves as being from Social Security wanting personal information regarding their Social Security payments.

Reports indicate that the scammers are actual individuals - not robocalls - who request information. All have been reported to bear thick foreign accents and threaten to discontinue benefits unless information is provided.

Merchant said similar calls have been made individuals representing themselves as Medicare representatives also seeking personal information. The complaints also state the caller has a very heavy foreign accent and threatens to discontinue benefits unless information is provided.

He noted that several residents have stated their caller IDs even show “Social Security,” while others report the caller ID shows different cities in Kansas and outside the state.

The Sheriff said Medicare, Social Security and other agencies will never contact you by phone to gather personal information.

Merchant urges residents who receive such calls to hang up immediately.

He said If anyone believes they have been made a victim of a scam, they should notify their local law enforcement agency immediately.

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