The District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB) cautions District consumers to be wary of mailers containing official-looking District government forms that request personal information. These mailers may be a deceptive method of selling funeral insurance policies.
For example, a number of residents have received mailers containing what appears to be an official District government form. The form, entitled “F-1 2020 BENEFIT INFORMATION FOR DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA RESIDENTS ONLY,” requests information that includes your name, your spouse’s name, your age, your spouse’s age, and your telephone number. It states that you may qualify for a program that would pay for your final expenses and urges you to complete and return the form within five days; a postage-paid envelope is provided. The address on the envelope is Processing Center, P.O. Box 62950, Phoenix, AZ 85082-9857.
The mailer, which is not from District government, is actually a deceptive marketing strategy used by insurance companies to identify potential clients. District residents should not be misled—this is not an opportunity to receive District government-sponsored funeral insurance. These mailers are not sanctioned by DISB or the Government of the District of Columbia. If you complete and return the mailer, your information may be used by, or sold to, insurance companies. Consequently, you may be contacted by insurance agents attempting to sell you policies.
DISB offers the following tips for consumers receiving mailers about funeral insurance or related benefits:
- Be wary of any mailer offering free services or information; they often are designed to obtain your personal contact information.
- Never respond to a mailing or provide your personal information unless you know who is requesting it and why.
- By responding to a mailing, you may be unwittingly giving a telemarketer or sales agent approval to contact you.
- Research the business identified in the mailer and its owners before paying them money.
If you believe you have been a victim of a financial scam or have questions about a solicitation or company, contact DISB’s Enforcement and Consumer Protection Division at (202) 727-8000.
Learn how to avoid other scams by visiting disb.dc.gov/page/consumer-scams.
