Phone Scam Involving Poison Center Phone Number

The American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) Receives Reports of Unsolicited Calls from Unidentified Sources Claiming to be from the National Poison Help Hotline (1-800-222-1222).

By: The American Association of Poison Control Centers
Monday, February 12, 2018

Alexandria, VA – The American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) has received reports from numerous Poison Control Centers across the country of individuals and healthcare providers receiving unsolicited calls from a caller ID badge identified as the National Poison Help Hotline at 1-800-222-1222. These are not legitimate calls from Poison Control Centers.

Calls have ranged from silence on one end of the phone, to robo-calls, to aggression, to soliciting money, to asking for personal information. The caller has in some instances identified himself as “Justin” and in some instances has been reported as having a Caribbean-sounding accent. It appears that in many instances the caller is preying on the elderly—suggesting that they have little time left to live.

The American Association of Poison Control Centers reminds people that Poison Control Centers will never ask for personal information such as social security number or credit card information and will only call individuals to follow up on medical issues.

Please report any instances of these calls to Poison Control at the National Poison Help Hotline at 1-800-222-1222 with as much detail as possible.

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