The City of Boston Human Resources Department is alerting employees to a scam targeting staff, where imposters are posing as representatives from the Health Benefits and Insurance (HBI) office to steal sensitive personal data.
The City has received reports of fraudulent phone calls attempting to collect confidential information, including Social Security numbers, Medicare numbers, bank account details, and passwords. Scammers often use caller ID spoofing to make the call appear as if it is coming from an HBI or City of Boston number and may use pressure tactics to force an immediate response. These calls are not legitimate.
HBI Contact Rules
The HBI office emphasizes that it will never make unsolicited calls asking for full Social Security Numbers (SSN), bank or credit card information, or login credentials, nor will they threaten an employee’s benefits for failing to respond.
When HBI does legitimately contact employees, here is what to expect:
• Mail: Expect letters on official City of Boston Health Benefits Office letterhead with clear instructions for enrollment notices, plan changes, or official documentation. HBI will never ask you to call a random number or provide full SSN, banking information, passwords, or login information over the phone.
• Email: Communications will be automated messages from email addresses using @boston.gov for general benefit announcements, information about annual enrollment periods, or links to official City portals. HBI will never ask you to reply with personal info or send attachments requesting data.
• [email protected] Inbox: This inbox is used only to respond to messages you send to the office. HBI does not initiate outreach from this inbox.
• Phone Calls: Staff will only call in response to an inquiry you initiated, or to follow up on an inquiry that you are aware of. Staff may verify limited info (e.g., name, Employee ID, last 4 digits of SSN) and only ask for a full SSN as an absolute last resort. HBI does not make unsolicited calls asking for personal identifiers.
• In-Person: Meetings will be held inside the Health Benefits and Insurance Office or at an on-site location such as City Hall for scheduled sessions. HBI does not request sensitive info over the phone prior to a visit.
How to Protect Yourself
The City urges employees to exercise caution:
Do not trust Caller ID. Scammers can easily “spoof” legitimate City phone numbers.
Never give out personal information unless you initiated the call.
Hang up immediately and call HBI directly to verify the request at 617-635-4570.
Forward suspicious calls and emails to [email protected].
If you have shared your information, report the incident immediately to the FCC at fcc.gov/complaints and monitor your credit or place a fraud alert.
The City stresses a simple rule: When in doubt — pause, verify, and report.