Scam phone numbers are used every day to trick unsuspecting people into giving away their private information and money. With almost 1 million unknown calls screened by Genie, we thought it would be important to share the most common phone numbers to beware of, with the hope of keeping you protected.
We are counting down the top 4 scam callers that Genie has blocked recently:
#4: 888-219-9756 - Scammer offering ‘financial settlement’ from Zantac lawsuit
Zantac announced in April 2020 a recall of its heartburn medication after it was found to contain NDMA which is linked to cancer. Scammers are attempting to target individuals that have taken the heartburn medication in the past, promising “financial compensation” from the lawsuit. But this scammer is really trying to steal your personal information and use it to commit identity theft under the pretense that they will help you obtain compensation. If you don't have the Genie app to block this number make sure you block it manually.
#3: 305-916-7659 - Scammer targeting diabetics with “free” glucose monitors
Genie spotted an uptick in unsolicited scam calls from this number pretending to give “free” glucose monitor systems for diabetics. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, "these calls are not coming from Medicare, diabetes associations or other similar organizations, While the caller says the items are 'free,' the items are still billed to Medicare. Once your Medicare information is in the hands of a dishonest person or supplier, you are susceptible to further scams." So if you get this kind of call remember that whatever their story is, they are just after your personal information and money. If you get a call from this number, block it immediately.
#2: 615-800-3410 - Scammer impersonating a local jail
The second most common call Genie has blocked recently is from a scammer claiming to be calling from a local jail and asking you “to accept charges by pressing one”. Subsequently, they call in order to claim that you owe an “unpaid phone bill”. If you don't have Genie to block these calls on your behalf, make sure you hang up immediately and block them manually as this is just the latest way that scammers are attempting to steal your money.
#1: 844-561-2499 - Scammer selling ‘lift chairs’
Thanks to the way Genie learns from its users, a Genie owner that blocked a lift chair call helped Genie spot a sharp increase in such calls. These scam callers prey on the vulnerable, in order to convince them that their product will help, but when the product arrives they are often not the quality that they paid for and in some cases they might not come at all.
Oftentimes when reaching out afterwards to the “companies” to complain they reply that they will not offer a full refund.
For more information about product scams just like this one, you can read our full article on the 9 signs of product scams here: https://www.lifesgenie.com/post/social-media-product-scams
Genie will automatically block malicious callers like this:
Genie is an AI personal assistant answering unknown callers on behalf of each Genie owner. Genie speaks to the callers, determines who’s calling and why, and decides if they should be blocked or allowed through. For more about Genie you can visit https://www.lifesgenie.com/.