The lady seems to check out because she does work for the Dept. of Children & Families (ok, I know that sounds like its own comedy). My husband has called her once or twice since she called us. I’m not sure exactly how she got our current number, though. I’m guessing on the internet using something as easy as google.
Some suggestions:
1. If you have a Homeowner’s insurance policy, check to see if it has Identity Theft coverage. If so, follow the requirements to take full advantage of it.
2. Some posters have suggested that the call itself a phishing scam. Seems likely (why would the thief supply your current phone number?).
3. If you are convinced it was genuine, get the name of the top official or general counsel of the Dept of Children & Families. Send that person a demand by certified letter, replete with facts, names, times, and dates, that they take action on this immediately. Demand a response within x days stating what action they have taken. Demand to know their policies about reporting id theft, the number of reports in the last year, and the number of cases that resulted in prosecution.
4. If they do not start dealing with it immediately, write letters to the editor of the local newspapers, warning the public of this id fraud danger. Revealing the lack of action by the agency, and imply that you are beginning to wonder of if the agency condones and abets id fraud.
5. One would assume an application to receive food stamps, would involve some sort of physical contact, a phone number for future contact, and an address or account number. All the agency has to do is ask the applicant in for an appointment to get their hand-out card, then slap on the cuffs. Their failure to do this already tells you they have no desire to catch the scum.
They can seem to check out if sophisticated. They might have two or three people in the home answering the phone properly to what scam they are doing. Even while on hold they can have on hold information seemingly proper. Saw this with a scam out of Wisconsin wherein they were badgering my Grandparents for information. Plenty of reports when I googled the actual call back number. Pretty soon they just disappear and start up a new number.
The number you call,,, is it traceable to the Dept. of Children and Families??? Reverse lookup?