Boston Globe Credit Card Phishing Scheme

It has come to our attention that consumers are receiving telephone calls from companies offering to assist them prevent credit card fraud. These companies, including one calling itself the "National Verification Office", are asking consumers to provide the credit card or bank card information the consumer used to pay his or her Boston Globe or the Worcester Telegram & Gazette subscription. These companies are NOT AFFILIATED with the Boston Globe or the Worcester Telegram & Gazette.

DO NOT RESPOND to these requests for private financial information from anyone on the telephone regardless of the company name given to you. These requests are not coming from a legitimate business or government office.

Neither the Boston Globe nor the Worcester Telegram & Gazette are asking their customers to provide them with confidential credit card or bank account information.

An investigator with a law enforcement office is not asking -- and would not ask -- consumers to provide credit card or bank account information by telephone.

Consumers should not give personal financial information to someone claiming to be from a legitimate business, financial institution, or government agency who contacts you by phone or email. You should only give private financial information to businesses or government agencies when you have initiated the telephone call or other transaction.

To learn more about what you can do to protect yourself, click on the link:

or please contact the following agencies:

The Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General

- Consumer Protection One Ashburton Place, Boston, MA 02108

617-727-2200 Consumer Hotline 617-727-8400

Federal Trade Commission for the Consumer