SerpApi.Org
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Federal Trade Commission issued a warning about a scam coming to your mailbox.
It comes as a letter in the mail from a "law firm" about unclaimed insurance money.
The letter says one of their clients died, and the client has the same last name as you.
Kara Kenney with Indiana's I-Team spoke with Terri Miller, a consumer education specialist at the Federal Trade Commission.
"They send that to as many people as possible, in hopes that someone will respond," Miller said. "They’re casting a wide net with that phishing scam, and so you know you may not respond, but someone else with the last name Kenney may respond."
The scam is not new, but it's making a comeback, according to the FTC.
"The spoiler alert here is that you’re not eligible for this money," Miller said. "The money doesn’t actually exist at all. It’s really just a scam to steal personal information and sometimes financial information."
The letter asks you to call a phone number.
"The end game for the scammer is to get you on the phone, where they’re going to ask for personal information, maybe your social security number or even bank account information," Miller said.
The FTC suspects scammers are using AI to make their letters sound professional.
Here's what to do if you get one of these letters:
- Don't respond. Keep your money and information to yourself. Never send money or information to a stranger who promises big rewards. That's always a scam.
- Pass this information on to a friend. You probably throw away these kinds of letters, but you probably know someone who could use a friendly reminder that these are scams.
- Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
