CHARLESTON, W.Va. –Medicare scams led the way in fraud complaints in 2025 according to a report from the West Virginia Attorney General’s office released Friday.
Attorney General JB McCuskey reminds everyone to be cautious of phone calls that seem suspicious.
“It’s vitally important for consumers to be diligent when they receive a call, text, or email from someone or an organization that is unfamiliar to you. Never share your personal or financial information. If you have a question about an unsolicited call, text, or email, call our office to verify its authenticity,” McCuskey said in the release.
The top 10 scams are:
-Medicare
-Robo Calls
-Social Security/Government
-Loans
-Sweepstakes/Lottery/Prize
-Debt Collection
-Service Disconnection/Promotion
-Computer/Phishing/Social Media
-Tax Relief/Forgiveness
-Home Warranty/Home Protection
The division noted they saw an uptick in debt collection, tax relief, and home warranty scams in December as fraudsters targeted consumers during the holiday season.
The office said consumers can follow these tips to avoid being a victim:
-Never give remote access to or control of your computer system to anyone for any reason
-Never share personal information such as Social Security number, date and place of birth, financial information, or medical records
-Always remember that legitimate entities will never ask for money to solve a criminal matter
-Always be alert for requests to send money via wire transfer or Bitcoin, seeing as these are major red flags
Consumers can contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 800-368-8808, if they believe they have been a victim of a scam.