Scammers Use Health Insurance As Hook For Victims
AURORA, Colo. (CBS4)- Police in Aurora say scammers are targeting people in search of affordable health care and using a Colorado number to trick their victims.
While on the search for health insurance, Erin Seaton thought she contacted a reputable company, but when she asked them to send her quotes, she says they came up with an excuse.
"[They said] 'Oh no, we can't email you anything, we can't email you anything until we have your payment information,'" Seaton said.
Seaton soon found herself in the middle of a scam.
"These guys are good," Seaton told CBS4's Andrea Flores. "They have no foreign accents; they sound like your next door neighbor."
She says the scammers use the Colorado phone number (303) 292-6946 to con people out of money.
"The first phone call I get from them is, 'Hey, we want to help you find health insurance,'" Seaton said. "[I said] 'Well, I already found health insurance,' and they immediately hung up on me," she said.
Now, Seaton says the crooks won't stop calling.
CBS4 tried getting through to the company, but the only response we got was from an automated message that said "goodbye."
Aurora police had better luck getting the scammers on the line. Police say the scammers are using the name "Health Enrollment Center," but the Colorado Secretary of State's website shows they've been delinquent for more than a year.
While Seaton was smart enough to know the signs, investigators say others may not recognize the red flags.
"Don't give people your name, date of birth, or social security number," Aurora Police Sgt. Dan Courtenay said. "All they want is your credit card information, and once you give that to them, they will clean out your account."
Andrea Flores is a reporter for CBS4. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter @AndreaFloresTV.