Attorney General Kelly Ayotte advised New Hampshire consumers to be careful when responding to requests for information received through unsolicited telephone calls in order to avoid becoming victims of telemarketing scams. The Attorney General also cautioned consumers about the latest in telemarketing scams offering a new insurance program to social security recipients.

The Attorney General’s Office has been alerted about calls purporting to be from the Social Security Administration offering a new insurance program for people on social security. The caller asks for dates of birth, and bank account numbers. The callers often tell consumers they must act immediately or lose out on a great opportunity.

Attorney General Ayotte warned consumers to be careful when responding to unsolicited telephone calls from people requesting personal information. Attorney General Ayotte offered the following precautions for consumers to avoid becoming victims of telemarketing fraud.

Do not provide your social security number, your date of birth, your credit card numbers or your bank account numbers over the phone.

Hang up immediately if the caller is trying to pressure you into making an immediate decision.

If you need to provide this information over the phone to a business that you already do business with, look up their number in the telephone book or on previous statements and call them back before giving out information.

Attorney General Ayotte said, “As consumers become more educated about telemarketing fraud and identity theft, thieves will become more inventive about ways to get consumers to give them personal information. Our office remains vigilant in its efforts to protect New Hampshire consumers against these scams.”

To report suspicious telephone calls from individuals purporting to be from the Social Security Administration, contact the Social Security’s Office of Inspector General Hotline at 1-800-269-0271 or in New Hampshire contact the Office of the Inspector General SSA in Manchester at 603-644-6940. A Public Fraud Reporting form is also available online at OIG’s website: www.socialsecurity.gov/oig.

Consumers with questions may also call the Consumer Protection Bureau of the Attorney General’s Office at (603) 271-3641 or log onto our website at www.nh.gov/nhdoj.