The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) has urged consumers to be wary of calls from a group claiming to be the Consumer Insurance Association, calling such calls a “scam.”
The regulator said that calls from the group will offer to lower auto insurance costs before asking for details on a policyholder’s current coverage. The caller may mention the names of well-known insurance companies and the phone number may originate from any state.
However, the TDI has warned that the Consumer Insurance Association is not a licensed insurance company or agency in Texas.
“This could be an attempt to get you to reveal personal information for identity theft,” said Chris Davis, head of the TDI’s fraud unit. “It’s always good to be cautious of anyone who calls when you haven’t asked for information. And never give out personal information when you haven’t verified who’s calling.”
The regulator reminded policyholders receiving calls offering lower insurance costs to always ask for the caller’s Texas insurance license number. Additionally, consumers should never provide personal information – such as addresses, birth dates, Social Security numbers, or bank account numbers – over the phone.
