Suspicious Callers May Target Empire Members

Empire recently heard from a few members with concerns regarding suspicious phone calls, also called voice phishing, claiming to be from Blue Cross Blue Shield. In some instances we understand that the callers were able to provide the members’ last names and their Primary Care Physicians (PCP) in exchange for members giving their full names, addresses, dates of birth, and member IDs. These calls are not authorized by, or specific to, Empire BlueCross BlueShield and you should not provide any personal information to the callers.

Empire BlueCross BlueShield will never provide a caller with the name of a PCP without first verifying that they are speaking to the member.

The originating phone numbers for these phone calls may display on your caller ID as a person or company you know. This is called ‘spoofed’ because the caller ID information displayed is fake. Many of the calls are made from either (289) 800-0303 or (547) 818-4222, but are not limited to only these phone numbers. You might get more than one call a day.

Members should be careful when they get an unexpected call asking for personal information. If you get a call from either of the numbers listed above or another unfamiliar number, please do not give the caller any of your personal information, like account details, credit card numbers, your social security number, full name, address, date of birth, or passwords. Instead, ignore the calls. Picking up these calls lets the callers know that your phone number is active and you may be targeted again. If you try to call these numbers back, you’ll hear a recorded message that the call cannot be completed as dialed. Empire recommends writing down the phone number and reporting it to your local consumer protection bureau or filing a consumer complaint with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) or Federal Trade Commission (FTC) via their websites. You can also file a report with Empire’s member services at the number located on the back of your member ID card.

Always be cautious when you get an unexpected call, text or email. Here are more tips on how to protect yourself from these types of suspicious calls.