Omnisure Group - scam?

[Stephen Tashiro]

A friend received a letter from "Omnisure Group". It stated that Omnisure Group had attempted to charge a credit card of the friend "ending in 5015" for some sort of insurance on a 2009 Pontiac G3. It said the charge had not suceeded. It said that the company would try to charge the card two more times and if the charge did not go through then the plan would be canceled. It gave a number to contact about the problem.

My friend doesn't have any credit card ending in "5015". She has never owned a Pontiac G3. Is this a new type of scam letter? - one that preys on absent minded people?

[Dan Hintz]

Scam... throw the letter away.

[Chuck Wintle]

It appears to be a scam at first glance...usually insurance do not send a letter for a credit card. The scammers are very creative and often their victims are caught unawares and only realize, too late, their mistake. Most who get taken are usually so ashamed they got taken that a complaint never gets made. Rule of thumb for me...delete all emails and shred all letters like this one.

[Myk Rian]

If she doesn't have a card with that number, or a Pontiac G3, then it doesn't take much to figure out it's a scam.
I wouldn't be asking the question.

[Chuck Wintle]

If she doesn't have a card with that number, or a Pontiac G3, then it doesn't take much to figure out it's a scam.
I wouldn't be asking the question.

the hook is the phone number they give so the matter can be cleared up...believe it or not some unassuming people may try the number and end up talking to someone who is skilled at getting credit card numbers. byt maybe not in the case of the person tho.

[Stephen Tashiro]

It would be interesting to know if the scammer is really associated with Omnisure or whether the phone number given in the letter doesn't really connect to Omnisure.

I wonder if the Pontiac G3 was chosen because it was notorious for mechanical problems.

[ray hampton]

I would look into the number before I cry scam

[Stephen Tashiro]

I would look into the number before I cry scam

Even if the phone number is Omnisure's, I'd still call the letter a scam - or at least preparation for a scam.

[ray hampton]

Even if the phone number is Omnisure's, I'd still call the letter a scam - or at least preparation for a scam.

you got a 50/50 change that it is a scam or a big mistake

[Lee Schierer]

Report the letter to your local FBI office or your state attorney general. If you call the phone number it may cost you for every minute you are on the phone with them. You can also do a reverse phone look up on Google and it will tell you if the phone number is related to a scam.

[Dan Hintz]

you got a 50/50 change that it is a scam or a big mistake

In either case there would be no benefit to responding in any fashion, so why waste the time?

[Matt Meiser]

In either case there would be no benefit to responding in any fashion, so why waste the time?

Unless the company thinks its legit and turns it over to collection. Or an identity theft issue?

[David Weaver]

It appears to be a legitimate company. Why they sent the mail with an unknown SS#. I don't, of course, know that it's a legitimate company for sure but it appears if you google it you find a company that specializes in service contracts / billing and maybe something vehicle related and they boast about how they are creative about setting up payment plans.

I can't see why you would need to respond to the letter, they are probably just trying to bill someone for an aftermarket car warranty and have bum information (the bum information may be more of a threat than what they're trying to collect on - maybe someone used your address and name and a different CC on their own).

I'd probably go out and make sure there wasn't a credit card on my credit report with that number given it looks like it might be a legitimate company (including customer complaints).

[Dan Hintz]

Unless the company thinks its legit and turns it over to collection.

Insurance just gets cancelled for non-payment, which is why you pay for it in advance.

[David Weaver]

Yeah, the bigger deal would be if there was actually a credit card attached to your address (and your name) and you didn't know it. I wouldn't go to the company to address the issue, rather free credit reports. If they show up clean, then there's not much to do other than throw all of the garbage away with it and assume it's some sort of error or something else harmless.

[Dan Hintz]

Yeah, the bigger deal would be if there was actually a credit card attached to your address (and your name) and you didn't know it. I wouldn't go to the company to address the issue, rather free credit reports. If they show up clean, then there's not much to do other than throw all of the garbage away with it and assume it's some sort of error or something else harmless.

This ^^^

On a related note, several years back I received a letter in the mail from a collection agency for a speeding ticket for my S2000 in D.C. I knew this to be a mistake as if I ever drove my S2000 into D.C., I would be forever collecting the bits and pieces of my bumpers as they fell off in the potholes. I never drove into D.C. while in the S. Upon further inspection, they had the wrong license plate... but their database showed that plate and my name/address, so it was my bill. This was a case of "yes, if it goes to collection, it goes on your credit report."

It took many threatening letters/phone calls, and in the end I had to drive to the DMV twice while they faxed my driving record to this company on DMV letterhead stating this plate did not belong, nor has it ever belonged, to me. Never heard another word from them.

A year later the company was being sued for poor collection practices (i.e., scaring/blackmailing people), not to mention the failure to verify the information they were using to collect on tickets. D.C. employed them with a hands-off method because it made them money, but I believe they were "released from contract" after so many lawsuits came up it was approaching class-action suit time.