Sheriff issues a warning about Social Security fraud in the area

The local social security scam has been reported by the sheriff of Brown County. Sheriff John Merchant claimed that an alarmingly high number of county residents had reported getting calls from callers posing as social security agents asking for personal information relating to their social security benefits.

Sheriff John Merchant alleged that a startlingly large number of county residents had reported receiving calls from persons impersonating social security agents requesting for personal information regarding their social security payments. (Photo: Sweet Water Now)

People posing as Medicare representatives

In a report from Hiawatha World Online, citizens have reported that these requests for information are coming from real people, not automated calls, according to Sheriff Merchant. Everyone who has commented on the callers’ heavy foreign accents. When residents confront the caller, they are informed that unless the information is given to the con artist, their benefits would be terminated.

People posing as Medicare representatives, according to Sheriff Merchant, are making similar calls and requesting personal information. He claimed that according to complaints, the caller has a very heavy, thick foreign accent and threatens to stop receiving benefits if no information is given.

Many locals, he claimed, have claimed that “Social Security” even appears on their caller IDs. Other locals have reported that their caller IDs display information from other cities, including Strausburg, Osage City, Austin, etc. Scammers can now alter any number, name, or address to appear on your caller IDs.

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Sheriff Merchant advised people to never rely solely on Caller ID

Sheriff Merchant cautioned against ever relying on the Caller ID to determine who is calling.

Based on the article from Sweet Water Now, Medicare, Social Security, and other organizations won’t ever call you to ask for personal information, according to Sheriff Merchant. All of the people who have reported this to me have hung up on the con artists without divulging any personal information. Please keep doing so because the longer the con artists have you on the phone, the more likely it is that they will be able to get personal information from you.

Residents were instructed by Sheriff Merchant to contact local law police immediately if they believed they had been the victim of a scam.

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