Avoiding Scams / Scam Calls Targeting Seniors
Real call vs. scam call: a 10-second test
Phone is still one of the fastest ways this coverage gets sold — and one of the fastest ways it gets scammed. The opening seconds sound nearly identical either way, so having a quick mental checklist ready beats trying to figure it out live.
What a legitimate call sounds like, fast
A licensed agent — whether you requested a quote or they're following up on an existing policy — leads with their name, the company they're calling from, and a license number on request, no hesitation. They explain the product in plain terms, don't push for a same-call decision, and follow up with real paperwork you can review before any payment is ever due.
The fast tells that it isn't
A few behaviors are reliable red flags, no matter how confident the caller sounds.
Watch for
- • Demanding payment on the spot — especially gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency.
- • Rushing you with urgency lines like "this rate expires today."
- • Refusing anything in writing, or staying vague about the actual company.
- • Asking for a bank account, Social Security, or Medicare number too early.
- • Already knowing details about your finances or health from an unexplained source.
On a suspicious call right now? Do this
Hang up — no explanation needed, no polite exit required. A real company loses nothing from a callback later, on a number you look up yourself. Don't confirm or share personal or financial info, even just to "verify" who you are — scammers reuse small confirmed details to make the next call more convincing. Want to check if the company's real? Look it up separately through your state's insurance department, never through a link or number the caller gave you.
Report it right after
Takes two minutes. The Federal Trade Commission takes reports of exactly this at reportfraud.ftc.gov, and reporting helps regulators spot patterns even if one report alone doesn't trigger an investigation. If money already changed hands, call your bank or card issuer immediately — speed matters most for actually getting it back.