Category

Phone call scams

Reviewed reports filed as phone call.

• Fake Coinbase call after a contact-info leak
  After a vendor leak exposed some Coinbase customer contact information, people can expect scam calls or texts that use that info to sound real. If someone claims to be from Coinbase, hang up and open the official app yourself.
• Fake school-district donation call to local businesses
  An Iowa school district warned that callers were asking local businesses for donations in its name, and the district said it was not making those calls. Before you give, call the school office on a number you already have.
• Jury duty or missed-court warrant call
  Scammers call and claim you missed jury duty or a court date and that a warrant is out for your arrest unless you pay right away. Real courts and law enforcement will not demand payment over the phone by gift card, crypto, or a courier.
• Caller who 'helps' you move your own money
  Scammers tell Social Security beneficiaries that a bank employee is committing fraud and that the only way to protect their money is to transfer it. They may stay on the phone for hours and even coach you through a call with your real bank.
• Fake state-representative insurance or subsidy call
  In 2026, West Virginia's attorney general reported a new tactic: callers posing as state representatives and offering insurance or other subsidies. One person said they got about 70 live calls from spoofed in-state numbers.
• Fake 'transfer' to Social Security after a retailer call
  A caller pretends to be a store, a bank, or another agency, then claims to transfer you to Social Security or its inspector general. That kind of transfer cannot happen, and it is always a scam.
• Medicare card expired or needs verification call
  During and around Medicare open enrollment, scammers call and say your Medicare card has expired, is lost, or needs to be verified. Medicare will not call first to ask for your Medicare number, Social Security number, or a payment.
• Grandparent or family-emergency call for bail or ransom
  Someone calls, often sounding panicked, and claims a child or grandchild is in trouble and needs money right away for bail, travel, or a medical bill. Hang up and reach that family member using a number you already know.