RED CROSS TELEPHONE SCAM

Her husband was a military man assigned to the place of conflict in the Middle East. He was assigned there for 2 years. Letter of communication from him was her only relief from the worry she felt because of the nature of his work.

Her worry came true. She received a call from the representative of the Red Cross informing her of the bad news. Her husband was wounded in an ambush from the military operation they initiated. He was hospitalized in the medical center.

The hospital can’t pursue the surgical operation as they needed wife’s consent and to supply them also with the personal and financial information of her husband, the protocol they have to follow before the surgical operation to begin. There were lots of paper works to do and information to indicate.

Most often, the wife where in the state of shock and panic is in her blood in the period of her distress. She can no longer think properly. She readily give in to the pressure. She did not give the first initiative to verify. Her panic controlled her totally. She supplied the information without thinking of the consequence.

She was surprised when her husband called her, a few days later. She told him what happened and what she give to the representative of the Red Cross. Her husband immediately verify about the call but the Red Cross head denied they have the hand of it.

Her husband checked his account in the bank. Nothing left in his savings. He advised the bank to close his account telling the reason of his decision. His wife will open a new account (local) for him to transfer his salary every month.

What to Do

-Once you received a notice that brings bad news, remain calm and have an open mind so that you an think right what’s the best under this circumstances. If you panic, you no longer has control of your better judgment and easily give in to pressure.

-The scammer knew the weakness of the wives of military men. This is their specialty that we have to prevent to happen.

-Verify immediately the source of the news. Call the embassy (local or abroad) and ask them if there was an incident recorded to their office involving her husband. All workers working abroad were under their care. The news like this will be reported to them by the commander of the field.

-The Red Cross will never inform you about this. The embassy is the one to notify you about the bad news not the other agency.

-His hospitalization and emergency care is under their responsibility. All personnel wounded in whatever form will be attended to with dispatch without for any information that will trigger the surgical operation. No need to wait for the consent of the wife. It is an emergency they will do what is best to save him.

-The embassy never ask about personal information of the wounded. They already have the record of him in their database once he applied working abroad. The more they will not asked of his Social Security number or bank account details just to facilitate his treatment. They are empowered to do what is best to save his life.

-The Red Cross has hotline numbers. You can call them directly to inquire the bad news. You can also call the embassy for some information.

-Do not succumb to fear and be fooled to give all the personal information so easily. Contact the right person. If you are afraid, the more you can’t think straight.