BOISE, Idaho (KBOI) — The Better Business Bureau Northwest + Pacific is alerting people across the country of mailings from Senior Supplemental Referral Service from Boise.
The BBB says the advertising campaign has led to BBB Accreditation resignation and an agreement with the Iowa Attorney General.
Senior Supplemental Referral Service is also known as Need-A-Lead. According to the BBB, Direct Processing Center sends postcards to consumers across the country offering more information about "state-approved plans."
Consumers say the postcards look like urgent official government notices regarding their insurance and the advertising failed to disclose that information collected from recipients will be sold to third-party insurance sales agents.
The Iowa Attorney General took action in August 2017 after the company sent misleading mailings to 26,000 Iowans in late 2016. Senior Supplemental Referral Service and the Iowa Attorney General’s office entered into an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance.
This agreement prevents the company from sending Iowans mailings that, give the impression that they come from a government agency, create a false sense of urgency, make misleading references to “free services,” and obscure the true purpose of the mailing and the request for personal information.
The company responded to BBB stating they did not want to modify their advertising because they say that their mail complies with state and federal regulations. According to the BBB, the campaign resigned their BBB Accreditation in March 2018 and now have an F rating.
BBB says to follow these tips when receiving mailings on life or health insurance or related benefits:
Research the business before sending any information or paying money. Check the company’s BBB Profile.
Be wary of any mailer offering free publications, information or gifts. These often are inducements to get you to provide personal contact information.
Never respond to any mailing and never provide personal information to anyone unless you know specifically who is requesting it and why.
By responding to a mailing, you may be giving a telemarketer approval to contact you.
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