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If it isn’t enough that more people are out of work in this country than in decades, or that the nation is in debt up to its eyeballs in bailouts, now comes a new round of scams designed to target the down-and-out, as well as our state and federal governments’ coffers.
The scam targets EPPI cards, an electronic card much like a debit or credit card. EPPI cards are used by governments to issue child support payments, unemployment benefits and other government payments. Several states use EPPI cards, with more signing on all the time.
Indiana began using EPPI cards in 2006 with workforce service clients, custodial parents and employees. The scams began almost immediately. EPPI card thieves operate in the same way they your credit and debit cards, as well as bank information.
The first scams were quite familiar: You get an e-mail saying you need to update your personal identity information, or that your card has been canceled for irregular activity, and that you need to log in with your password and other personal information.
The new scam is even more clever and arrives in a couple ways: Some come via text messages to your cell phone; the others arrive via e-mail.
An Indiana resident complained in an online consumer blog that he received a text message saying his card was suspended, and that he needed to call a number provided in the text to straighten out the problem.
When he called, he was told to provide his credit card information — a real red flag for a scam. The best red flag for this consumer, however, was that he not only didn’t have an EPPI card, he didn’t know what one was until he checked online.
The worst part about this consumer’s complaint is that his wasn’t the only one on this blog: Several Indiana residents reported the same experience, some saying they were asked for Social Security information, as well.
The lesson here is, don’t call numbers that are sent to you by snail-mail, e-mail, landline phone or text asking you to “verify” or “revalidate” your credit, personal or banking information. Of course the person who answers that number is going to answer with the right bank or agency name — otherwise you’d know it was a scam.
The most recent e-mail EPPI card scam attempt starts out as a warning to beware of “phishing” attempts by e-mail to gain access to your card. It goes on to explain that “we will never your information such as social security number, card number or PIN through email” (text here is exactly as it appears in the e-mail).
Then it says that your EPPI card may be temporarily blocked from time to time to “protect your account” — and, guess what? “For your protection we have temporary deactivate your MasterCard/Debit Card” (again, text and spelling are exactly as written).
The e-mail provides a handy link to click to activate your card online and, naturally, insert your card and PIN numbers. It goes without saying that clicking on that link is a death knell for your card, your credit and possibly your identity.
Thieves are thicker than ever right now as they try to take advantage of people who are already having it hard. The scary part of this is that, by accessing EPPI cards, the thieves also are stealing from the government. Don’t help them. Delete the texts and e-mails. And NEVER respond by phone or by clicking on their links.
TIP OF THE WEEK: A reader wanted to know if the sales call she received on behalf of Steuben County Cancer Services is “for real.” The answer is, yes, this is an offer you can trust. The discount coupon book that is being sold definitely is “real,” and all the proceeds stay local. If you’d like to participate in the agency’s fundraiser and haven’t yet been contacted by phone or personally by an agency member, call 833-4949.
One caveat: Letters arriving by snail-mail soliciting donations for various cancer groups, including the Steuben agency, are not authorized by Steuben County Cancer Services — plus, unlike the coupon book, that money is sent out of state for distribution.
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