Elderly Woman Targeted by Phone Scammers After Possible Data Breach

TL/DR –

An 88-year-old woman from Memphis has reported multiple suspicious calls offering medical devices, some of which appeared to be from her doctor’s office and Medicare. The woman believes the callers had her personal data, including her recent need for a leg brace. The Better Business Bureau has recommended that everyone monitor data breaches closely to ensure their information has not been compromised and sold on the dark web.

Ruth Ferguson Targeted in Fraudulent Phone Scheme

Ruth Ferguson, an 88-year-old woman from East Memphis, has been receiving constant calls from fraudsters. These impersonators falsely claimed to be from CVS Pharmacy and Medicare, attempting to sell her a leg brace and a cancer-detecting device, respectively.

Ferguson had recently been advised by her doctor to get a medically-prescribed device for leg pain. The callers, knowing this information, tried to exploit her needs.

One impersonator even claimed to be calling from her doctor’s office, a claim that was later refuted when she contacted the office directly. “It’s pretty scary,” Ferguson remarked.

During her interview with FOX13, her phone rang again with a caller ID showing her doctor’s office, but again, it was a fake call.

Protecting Personal Data from Breaches

Daniel Irwin, a spokesperson for the Better Business Bureau of the Mid-South, warns everyone to closely follow notices of data breaches. He explained, “Not only do the people that did the data breach have your information, they take that and sell that to criminals all over the dark web.”

It remains unclear how Ferguson’s health information was leaked. However, a cyberattack against Change Healthcare last year impacted 100 million people. As FOX13 reported, Change Healthcare is one of the largest payment processing companies in the U.S. healthcare system.

Ferguson expressed growing concern, wondering what else the fraudsters could know about her.

Preventing Identity Theft

If you’ve been a victim of a data breach, it’s recommended to freeze your credit. This step can help prevent identity theft and hinder strangers from opening loans or filing taxes in your name. For thorough instructions on how to freeze your credit, click here.

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