Mike Parker: Medicare scammers are at it again
If you are like me, you have probably had at least a couple of calls since the first of the year about your need to obtain a new Medicare card. The person who called me identified himself as “John.” He was calling to verify my information so he could authorize me to receive a new Medicare card.
Of course, he was lying through his teeth.
The purpose of the call was to obtain my personal information to enable those who employ him to make fraudulent charges on my Medicare account – or, even worse, sell my personal information on the dark web.
In one version of this deceit, scammers offer you a new kind of card with a chip, even though Medicare does not offer cards with chips. The scammers may even try to convince you that your card is outdated and will no longer work. Another lie.
“Open Enrollment is prime time for Medicare beneficiaries to be targeted,” Tatiana Fassieux, a Medicare education and training specialist with the California Health Advocates and Senior Medicare Patrol watchdog groups, told Fortune magazine.
Many of the scams are variations of identity fraud, lies designed to steal your Medicare number or vital financial information. The lies come in a variety of forms from texts, to “phishing” emails, to social media, to online platforms. The aim is the same: obtain your personal information so either you or Medicare can get ripped off.
According to the Social Security Administration, Medicare fraud costs Americans $60 billion per year. Some sources place the combined cost of Medicare and Medicaid fraud as high as $100 billion.
Those on Medicare provide a target-rich pool of potential victims. Nearly one in five Americans – 18 percent – are on Medicare. That figure is up from 13 percent in 1990. Given the fact that the vast majority are older people, scammers either appear to be incredibly helpful and concerned or use approaches that border on bullying.
How can you protect yourself? The Federal Trade Commission offers this advice to consumers:
1. Never give personal information to anyone who contacts you out of the blue.
Even if the request seems to come from Medicare, be wary. The scammer might ask for things like your Medicare, Social Security, or financial account numbers. However, Medicare does not call people unexpectedly and ask for your Medicare number or financial information. Medicare will not call you to sell insurance or health care products. If you are not sure the call is legitimate, HANG UP. Then call Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE.
2. Don’t respond to anyone who seems to be from Medicare and asks for your personal information.
They might reach out by phone, mail, email, social media message, or text. They might include the Medicare name. They might seem to be legitimately from the government. However, as soon as the scammers ask for your Medicare, Social Security, or financial account numbers, you know the contact is a scam. The real Medicare program never asks for that kind of information.
Also, do not click on links, do not open any attachments, and do not call any numbers if you get those messages. These messages are “phishing” for your personal or financial information. Do not take the bait. Throw away the mail, delete the messages, or get off the phone.
If you need help comparing Medicare costs, coverage, and plans, contact the State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs), part of the North Carolina Department of Insurance at 1-855-408-1212. To report someone pretending to be from Medicare, call 1-800-MEDICARE. Then report the contact to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov
I keep hoping that someday, someone will develop a method for thwarting all these bogus calls. I have tried the “Do Not Call” list – but the DNC does not work. Many calls come in from overseas – from places the U.S. government has no jurisdiction.
Until then, just hang up, delete emails and texts, and do not visit sites on social media.
Please keep your information safe.
Mike Parker is a columnist for the Neuse News. You can reach him at mparker16@gmail.com.
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