Attorney General Kelly A. Ayotte and Insurance Commissioner Roger A. Sevigny are warning New Hampshire consumers of an automobile insurance scam that has been reported in the Midwest.

Consumers have reported receiving phone calls from scammers who claim that there is a problem with the consumer's automobile insurance premium payment and that a payment must be made immediately in order to avoid cancellation of the policy. Consumers are being urged to provide their bank account information, as well as other personal information, over the telephone so that the payment can be processed and cancellation avoided.

Commissioner Sevigny wants consumers to know that New Hampshire insurance policies insuring private passenger automobiles can only be cancelled upon written notice to the consumer at least 10 days prior to the effective date of the cancellation. "For this reason," advises Commissioner Sevigny, "consumers should be wary of any caller claiming that payment must be made immediately to prevent the cancellation of an automobile insurance policy. Consumers who receive such a call should verify the caller's identity by contacting either their insurance agent or their insurance company."

Attorney General Ayotte warns that "Consumers should be especially suspicious of any caller claiming to be from an insurance company who asks for personal information that the insurance company already should have in its possession, such as a consumer's driver's license number, social security number, home address or date of birth. Providing this type of information to an unknown caller is never a wise idea."

Commissioner Sevigny is asking consumers who have received this type of call to contact the Department's Fraud Unit at 603-271-2261 or by visiting http://www.nh.gov/insurance/legal/fraud/index.htm.

Consumers who may have questions about this or other scams, or wish additional information, can visit the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Bureau's Web site at www.doj.nh.gov/consumer/ or call the Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-888-468-4454 (toll free). Consumers can also review the Attorney General's Identity Theft Toolkit at http://www.doj.nh.gov/consumer/protection_kit.html.