House Insurance Scams
Shopping for house or contents insurance should be something you do to save some money, but sometimes these days it can actually end up costing you. Fraudsters are shopping for your information whilst you shop for insurance, so protect your personal information while you’re looking for insurance savings.
Shopping on the Internet is convenient and generally safe; however there are a few things you need to do to protect yourself. First, never click on an unsolicited link on a web page or in an e-mail. If you’ve never heard of “Bob’s Insurance Company” or didn’t ask for information, delete that link or e-mail without reading it. Instead, type the name of the company into a search engine, or type the name of the website directly into your browser’s address bar.
Better yet, type the name of the company and “reviews” or “service” into a search engine and see what returns. If the company is bogus or worse, has already deceived some people, you’re likely to see a report of that. If anything appears a little “off”, walk away. Any legitimate insurance quote will require you to divulge your address and even perhaps your income and other personal information. This is exactly what the fraudsters are hoping you’ll give them right over the Internet, so don’t type a thing into any website that you are unsure of.
Stick to large, well-known insurance companies or ones that friends or relatives have recommended. Having one or more positive reviews is a good way to ensure you’re not getting scammed.
Call the insurance company first. Ask for the address of their website, or see if they’ll provide a quote over the phone. Going straight to the source should alleviate any worries.
And be sure to report anything that seems suspicious to the authorities. Insurance fraud is a crime, but it can only be stopped when people report it.
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