Medicare scams topped the list of fraud complaints reported to the West Virginia Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division in 2025, according to the office’s year-end review released.
“It’s vitally important for consumers to be diligent when they receive a call, text or email from someone or an organization that is unfamiliar to you. Never share your personal or financial information. If you have a question about an unsolicited call, text or email, call our office to verify its authenticity,” said John B. McCuskey, West Virginia attorney general.
From Jan. 1, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2025, the top 10 fraud complaints reported to the consumer division were Medicare, robo calls, Social Security/government, loans, sweepstakes/lottery/prize, debt collection, service disconnection/promotion, computer/phishing/social media, tax relief/forgiveness and home warranty/home protection, respectively.
The division saw a notable uptick in debt collection, tax relief, and home warranty scams in December as fraudsters targeted consumers during the holiday season.
Consumers can take these steps to avoid becoming a victim:
Never give anyone remote access to or control of one’s computer for any reason;
Never share personal identifiable information such as one’s Social Security number, date and place of birth, financial information, or medical records;
Remember that legitimate entities will not ask for money to resolve a criminal matter; and
Be alert for requests to send money via wire transfer or Bitcoin — these are major red flags.
Consumers who believe they may have been the victim of a scam can contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 800-368-8808 or visit ago.wv.gov. Reporting scams helps protect other West Virginians from falling victim to fraud.
