TO
TO THE
TO THE OFFICERS. >>> WE'VE DONE SO MANY STORIES
ABOUT ROBO CALLS AND PHONE
CALLS, IT CAN BE HARD TO KNOW IF
SOMETHING IS ACTUALLY
LEGITIMATE.
LEGITIMATE. THAT'S WHY A CALL ABOUT A
WASHINGTON HEALTH SURVEY SEEMED
QUESTIONABLE.
QUESTIONABLE. IT'S A REAL SURVEY CONDUCTED BY
THE CDC.
THE CDC.
THE CDC. >> I KEEP GETTING CALLS FROM A
NUMBER I DON'T RECOGNIZE.
I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE WASHINGTON
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
CONDUCTING A SURVEY.
IT SEEMED WEIRD SO I QUICKLY
HUNG UP, BUT THEY KEEP CALLING
ME BACK.
ME BACK.
ME BACK. SO I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH.
TURNS OUT THIS ONE IS
LEGITIMATE.
LEGITIMATE. BUT HERE'S WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
IF YOU GET THE CALL.
>> Reporter: DO YOU ANSWER
CALLS FROM NUMBERS YOU DON'T
RECOGNIZE?
RECOGNIZE? NORMALLY I'D SAY DON'T DO IT.
BUT IN THIS CASE, THINGS ARE A
LITTLE DIFFERENT.
LITTLE DIFFERENT. >> I'M CALLING ON BEHALF OF THE
WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH TO CONDUCT AN IMPORTANT
STUDY ON THE HEALTH OF
WASHINGTON RESIDENTS.
WASHINGTON RESIDENTS. >> Reporter: I'D NEVER HEARD
ABOUT IT, BUT APPARENTLY THE
WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH HAS BEEN DOING A HEALTH
SURVEY OVER THE PHONE FOR ABOUT
20 YEARS.
20 YEARS.
20 YEARS. IT'S CALLED THE BAURFBL RISK
FACTOR SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM.
IT'S THROUGH THE CDC AND EACH
STATE DOES IT.
THEY CALL NUMBERS AT RANDOM AND
SAY THE SURVEY IS ANONYMOUS AND
CONFIDENTIAL.
CONFIDENTIAL. BUT BECAUSE OF ALL THE ROBO
CALLS AND PHONE SCAMS THAT EXIST
NOW, MARK SERAPHIN WITH
WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH SAYS IT'S HARD TO GET
PEOPLE TO BELIEVE THEM.
>> THE ONE WE GET A LOT IS ARE
YOU GUYS FOR REAL?
>> Reporter: I KNOW I ASKED
THAT QUESTION.
THAT QUESTION. IF YOU DO A GOOGLE SEARCH OF THE
PHONE NUMBER, A LOT OF OTHER
PEOPLE ARE WONDERING THAT TOO.
I FOUND SEVERAL POSTS ONLINE
FROM PEOPLE WHO THINK THIS IS A
SCAM.
SCAM.
SCAM. BUT
SCAM. BUT AGAIN, IT'S NOT.
>> SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO TRY TO
CONVINCE THEM OVER THE PHONE,
YES, I REALLY DO WORK FOR THE
WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH.
HEALTH.
HEALTH. >> Reporter: THE SURVEY ASKS
YOU QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR HEALTH
LIKE DO YOU SMOKE?
DO YOU HAVE DIABETES OR HEALTH
INSURANCE, FOR EXAMPLE.
IT TAKES ABOUT 25 MINUTES.
SO IT'S A LONG ONE.
BUT HERE'S WHY HEALTH OFFICIALS
SAY YOU SHOULD TAKE IT.
>> BECAUSE PUBLIC HEALTH IS
TRYING TO KEEP YOU FROM GETTING
SICK OR DYING FROM UNNECESSARY
REASONS AND WE NEED THE
INFORMATION TO HELP US DO THAT.
>> Reporter: THE CDC AND STATE
HEALTH DEPARTMENTS USED YOUR
ANSWERS TO IDENTIFY HEALTH
TRENDS AND THEN CREATE PROGRAMS
TO HELP ADDRESS WHATEVER'S GOING
ON.
ON.
ON. >>
ON. >> SO
ON. >> SO IF WE FIND OUT THAT HEY,
IT'S GOT HIGH ASTHMA RATES,
WHAT'S GOING ON THERE?
WE STATE THERE'S A PROBLEM HERE
THEN SOMEBODY ELSE GOES AND
TRIES TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS.
>> YOU WILL STILL WANT TO
VERIFY IT'S THE HEALTH
DEPARTMENT CALLING AND NOT AN
IMPOSTER.
IMPOSTER.
IMPOSTER. YOU CAN DO THIS BY CHECKING THE
PHONE NUMBER ONLINE LIKE I DID,
OR DON'T ANSWER AND SEE IF THEY
LEAVE A MESSAGE.