Is There a Medicare Scam Going On?
Medicare Scam Calls and How to Protect Yourself Against Them
To answer the question above regarding whether a Medicare scam is going on, it’s probably safe to say there is always some kind of scam related to Medicare or health insurance taking place. In fact, Medicare scams are some of the most common scams involving caller ID spoofing in Wisconsin. Others include general insurance scams, utility bill scams, IRS scams and banking scams.
What can you do to protect yourself? It all starts with being knowledgeable about how these scams work, when to be suspicious and how to ensure you are talking to a legitimate person.
Caller ID Spoofing Explained
Many of these scam calls involve caller ID spoofing as a means of convincing the person on the other end of the line that they are actually the person they are pretending to be. Through spoofing, a scammer is able falsify the information displayed on your caller ID.
This might mean faking a number with a local area code, even though the person is not located anywhere near your area. Even if you don’t recognize the number, you may be more likely to trust it if it is a local one. They may also be able to falsify the caller ID information so that a neighbor’s or family member’s number shows up.
Why Would My Health Insurance Call Me?
As mentioned, Medicare and general insurance scams are some of the most common spoofing scams faced by Wisconsinites. Naturally, it’s smart to be suspicious if someone were to call you from your health insurance company.
But there are legitimate reasons why your health insurance company might call you. Reasons may include verifying information, responding to a recent communication from you or assisting you with care management. This means it isn’t always obvious when a scammer is on the other end of the phone.
How to Tell if It’s a Phone Scam
As difficult as it may be to know when you are speaking to someone on the phone with malicious intentions, there are some red flags to be aware of. Generally, it always helps to be suspicious of unknown numbers. If you notice any of the following, there’s a chance you are being scammed.
- The caller requests money for a bill, premium or fine
- The caller asks you to pay before you receive help choosing a health insurance plan
- You are offered free services or incentives
- You feel rushed into taking an action ASAP
- You are contacted unexpectedly or for a reason that doesn’t make sense
- When questioned, the person comes off as rude or demanding
- You are asked to provide sensitive information such as your social security number or a credit card number
What Should You Do if You Think Someone is Attempting to Scam You on the Phone?
As the old saying goes, it’s better to be safe than sorry. If you have any suspicion that the caller has malicious intent, you should hang up and try to call them back at a number you know you can trust.
For example, if you receive a call from someone who you believe to be a representative of your health insurance company, but you have concerns regarding their authenticity, just hang up. You can then call the number on the back of your member ID card to be sure you are actually talking to someone with the company. The last thing you want to do is stay on the line talking with a person you don’t know you can trust, and then wonder after the fact whether you potentially gave away personal information that could be used to harm your finances.
Of course, the need for caution may not register immediately. If you think you’ve been scammed, you can attempt the steps above to try to confirm whether you spoke with a legitimate company or government representative. If not, here are some possible steps you may want to follow.
- Secure your finances by alerting your bank and credit bureaus.
- If your computer was used as part of the phone call, have it checked for viruses or malware.
- Report the scam to any relevant business. For example, if someone was maliciously acting as a member of your health insurance company, report the scam to your health insurance plan.
- Change any passwords for online accounts you may have discussed on the call.
- Report the scam to local law enforcement and the Federal Trade Commission.
If you have a health plan with Network Health, you may also want to consider going paperless as another way to better safeguard your information, as well as documents. It’s simple and secure. You can click the link below to read more about it and start the process.
Secure Your Health Plan Information and Documents Through Your Member Portal
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