Avoiding scams

From phishing attacks to social engineering, scams are everywhere. While SAIF does all we can to keep our customers' information secure, scams are always a risk. We encourage you to get familiar with the types of scams that you and your business could face and take steps to prevent them.

Working with SAIF

If you are the target of a workers' comp scam or you are contacted by a scammer claiming to be SAIF, please report it to SAIF right away by contacting our help desk at 866.836.8300 or helpdesk@saif.com.

Remember that SAIF will never ask for your account password. In certain instances, SAIF reaches out to customers to request other personal information for billing, claims or policy purposes.

If you ever feel uncomfortable when speaking to a SAIF represenative, or suspect a call from SAIF is not legitimate, ask for the name of the person you're speaking with. You can then hang up and call SAIF's general number (800.285.8525), and ask to be connected with the person who just gave you their name.

Common types of scams

Recognizing a scam is your first line of defense against falling victim to it. As technologies advance so do the methods scammers use to commit fraud. Some of the most common methods are over the phone, texting, and email, typically with the goal of tricking or manipulating you into sending them money or sharing information that allows them to access it. Learn more about phishing schemes. 

In the insurance industry, the "total cost of insurance fraud (non-health insurance) is estimated to be more than $40 billion per year," according to a report by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Common schemes include premium diversion or misappropriation, fee churning, and asset diversion.

Visit the list of common types of fraud and scams by the Consumer Financial Protection Burea, including charity scams, debt collection and settlement, and imposter scams.

What you can do

The State of Oregon's Division of Financial Regulation has a comprehensive list of ways you can prevent fraud and exploitation, including:

• Hire licensed professionals | You can easily check the license of any person or company you are working with. 
• Learn the signs of a scam | Signs include requesting personal information, claiming there is an emergency, asking you to wire money or purchase a gift card, urging you keep the interaction a secret.
• Be proactive about protecting yourself | There are things you can do right now to prevent fraud, including monitoring your financial accounts regularly, consider placing fraud alerts on your accounts, signing up for the Federal Trade Commission's National Do Not Call Registry, and not responding when the caller or sender is unknown to you.
• Report scams and fraud | The Division of Financial Regulation encourages all Oregonians to report financial exploitation.