Joe Levi:
a cross-discipline, multi-dimensional problem solver who thinks outside the box – but within reality™

Beware of 405-603-7076

I got a call from a number reported by caller-ID as 405-603-7076. Not knowing anyone from the 407 area code I let the call go to voicemail (no message was left).

I Google’d the number and found other’s reporting the number as coming from a marketing firm that may be using phishing and deception to gather personal information. Specifically, people have reported that the caller represents him/herself as an agent of a collections agency and that you owe a bunch of money to some other company. You argue the point and they finally concede that they just have the name, and that you might not actually be the person they’re tying to collect from. To verify that you are not the person they’re looking for they ask you for your Social Security Number.

If your “SCAM ALERT!” sirens don’t start going off in your head whenever someone asks you for that information maybe you should just give it out freely. Didn’t Darwin write about natural selection?

Back to the point, should you be asked that information, grab a pen and paper and start asking questions yourself. Such as

  • Date, time, and phone number (on caller-ID) of the phone call
  • Name of the caller: get the first and last name, if the say they can’t give out their last name get their ID number and/or extension
  • Name and phone number of the company they represent
  • Name of their supervisor
  • Name and phone number of the company they say they’re collecting for
  • The amount that they’re trying to collect and any information associated with it (for services rendered on what date? at what location? under what account number? etc.)

If it’s legitimate the person on the other end should have no problem with giving you this information. If they are hesitant be even more suspicious.

If it sounds legitimate, ask how to contact the caller back directly and tell them you’ll call them back after you’ve verified their information with the person/company they said they’re collecting for. Then do so! Call that company and ask if they’ve sent you to collections, for what amount, who the agency is, yadda yadda. You won’t be able to make a payment to them since they’ve already assigned your debt to a collections agency, but at least you’ll now if it’s legitimate or not. If it’s legit, call the collector back and ask them to mail you a bill with all pertinent information; you’re done.

If it’s not legit, call your local police department and file a report for potential fraud. Keep a copy of the report.

Bottom line: be smart. Don’t give out any sensitive information to just anyone who asks for it. Be skeptical, be analytical. Be safe.

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8 Responses

  1. Anonymous says:

    I’ve just finished reading that article that was published titled, “Beware of 405-603-7076,” and was shocked and the content and wanted to send an update to what appears to be some misleading information. Phone number 405-603-7076, is an Oklahoma City based number which corresponds to HealthMarkets Lead Marketing Group (If you call this number, you will know that). Researching the company, you would also realize that HealthMarkets is an insurance company, primarily for the self-employed and individuals and not a collections agency. Any agent that calls with a caller-id showing this phone number will never ask for a social secuity number, credit information, etc. If however you would like to be contacted back with a quote for health insurance, they would be glad to assist you.

  2. Joe says:

    “Anonymous”,

    Based on your input I did a little more digging. Specifically, I researched your IP address

    OrgName: UICI Marketing
    Address: 850 Cannon Drive, Hurst TX, 76054, US
    NetRange: 208.30.146.0 – 208.30.146.255
    CIDR: 208.30.146.0/24
    RTechName/Phone: LaChance, James / +1-817-255-3936

    And upon more digging: UICI Marketing Inc. is a Private Subsidiary, with headquarters location at 9151 Grapevine Hwy., North Richland Hills, TX, United States, (817)255-5200, fax, http://www.megainsurance.com
    Primary SIC: Accident And Health Insurance, Primary NAICS: Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers, Description: Insurance: Marketing division of UICI.

    Which leads to:
    The MEGA Life and Health Insurance Company
    Customer Care Center
    PO Box 982010
    North Richland Hills, Tx 76182

    Interestingly, “UICI has changed its corporate identity to HealthMarkets” and their new site is located at http://www.healthmarketsokc.com/ and is located at HealthMarkets – Life Insurance Operations, 1331 W. Memorial Road, Suite 112, Oklahoma City, OK 73114; (405) 848-0179 and (800) 725-7887. They do have a “Privacy Office” located at Privacy Office, HealthMarkets OKC Insurance Division, 1331 W. Memorial Road, Suite 112, Oklahoma City, OK 73114.

    Of further interest is an SEC filing which states “One of our subsidiaries, HealthMarkets Lead Marketing Group Inc. (formerly known as UICI Marketing, Inc.), serves as our direct marketing group
    and generates new membership sales prospect leads […] HealthMarkets Lead Marketing Group administers a call center (located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) staffing approximately 80 tele-service representatives. Leads are also obtained from third party data sources. HealthMarkets Lead Marketing Group has developed a marketing pool of approximately fifteen million prospects from various data sources. Prospects initially identified by HealthMarkets Lead Marketing Group that are self-employed, small business owners or individuals may become a ‘qualified lead’ by responding through one of HealthMarkets Lead Marketing Group’s lead channels and by expressing an interest in learning more about health insurance. We believe that UGA and Cornerstone agents, possessing the qualified leads’ contact information, are able to achieve a higher ‘close’ rate than is the case with unqualified prospects.”

    I must therefore conclude that you are somehow employed for UICI Marketing Inc., the marketing wing of The MEGA Life and Health Insurance Company (now known as HeathMarkets), and that a person or persons calling from one of your numbers (specifically 405-603-7076) is an active telemarketer who may or may not be trying to solicit social security numbers and/or other personal information for the purposes of soliciting insurance quotes.

    To the rest of you reading, treat this call like a telemarketing call and follow the script at Saddleback.edu to note all the questions required by The Federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act (FTCPA) 47 U.S.C. Section 201 et seq., which allows consumers to sue telemarketers if the company’s pattern of calls breaks the law two or more times in a year.

    If you’re determined to litigate, spend $10 on a booklet called “So You Want to Sue a Telemarketer”, available from Private Citizen, Inc. by calling 1-800-CUT-JUNK. Note that many companies will settle out of court.

    Since this is a marketing call made by, for, and/or on behalf of an insurance company, there may be more regulations that apply to how phone solicitations are made.

    You could also contact The District Attorney of Oklahoma and file a formal complaint. One could also file a formal complaint with the SEC and/or under the FTCPA.

    Back to your comment, Anonymous: I’m glad that you’ve assured us that no one from your company will call casking for a social security number, however, the “anonymous” nature of your comment does make me more than a little suspicious. I’m sure if you’re a legitimate person representing a legitimate company that you will have no hesitation responding with a valid name, email address, phone number, and title within the company. Right?

  3. Kat says:

    Just recvd the same phone call…no voicemail.
    I was tempted to answer the call since the area code looks familiar but not the whole phone number. Good thing I read about this … now I will make sure not to even pick up the call…

  4. Joe says:

    Kat,

    I’m glad this post was able to help you out!

    http://www.JoeLevi.com

  5. Tim says:

    This number has called my mobile phone every morning for the last 5 business days. It’s getting annoying – I thought the best way would be to just ignore but that doesn’t seem to be working.

    I called the number back today – there is a computer voice that asks you to key in your number if you’d like to be removed from their calling list. I’m adding my number and crossing my fingers.

  6. Joe says:

    Tim, you’re not alone in being harassed by calls from this number. Luckily, after my first round with them I haven’t been bothered again since, so there may be a silver-lining.

    Glad you didn’t get sucked in!

    http://www.JoeLevi.com

  7. Cindy says:

    I have received calls from this company many times. I am very grateful for this website. I also googled the number and posted to their do not call info.

  8. Joe says:

    Cindy,

    Glad that I could help out!

    If it’s any consolation, I called them back and used their automated system to add my numbers to their “do not call list” and haven’t gotten a single call from them since.

    http://www.JoeLevi.com

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