When coping with a disaster like flooding, wildfires, tornadoes, and other weather events, victims are at a loss for where to begin rebuilding and replacing belongings. Replacing vital documents like birth certificates, driver’s licenses, Social Security cards, etc., is another task that can seem daunting. Better Business Bureau warns victims to beware of unsolicited offers of assistance in replacing these essential documents for an upfront fee. You could be dealing with a scammer.
How the Scam Works
Consumers have submitted reports to BBB Scam Tracker about “lookalike” websites that offer to help with everything from updating postal addresses to renewing or replacing ID cards and documents for an upfront fee. In many instances, they later discovered they could have accomplished their goal for little or no money and have provided personal information to an unknown third party.
Scammers continue to call and text people stating they need to replace Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security cards. Those agencies do not operate that way! BBB warns you to be mindful of any links you click when searching for information so you are not led to a site pretending to be the official agency.
How to Avoid Falling Victim to a Fake Document Replacement Scam
- Confirm the URL before entering personal and financial information. It can be easy to click on a sponsored ad or imposter website without noticing. Before typing any sensitive information, double-check that the website and the link are secure. Secure links start with ‘https://’ and include a lock icon on the purchase page.
- Be wary of third-party websites. There are legitimate passport assistance services, but check with BBB.org first to ensure you aren’t sharing your personal or financial information with a scammer.
- Make online purchases with a credit card. Users can dispute fraudulent charges on a credit card, which might not be true with other payment methods. Unfortunately, there is no way to get back the personal information you may have shared.
Some provincial and federal agencies will replace certain documents free of charge when an emergency is in effect. See the Government of Canada’s Help Centre to replace stolen, lost, or destroyed documents.
If you have been the victim of this or another scam, make others aware by filing a report on BBB.org/ScamTracker and contacting the Canada Revenue Agency.
