Don't pick up for fake Medicare calls

Don't pick up for fake Medicare calls
                        

In 2018 BBB Scam Tracker received more than 500 reports about scam calls claiming to be from Medicare representatives. Protect yourself and your loved ones from this unfortunately common scam.

You receive a call that appears on your caller ID as Medicare. In one version of this scam, when you pick up the phone, a Medicare impersonator offers you something for free such as a back or knee brace, medical equipment, or new Medicare cards. All you have to do is share some personal information such as your Social Security number to "confirm" your identity.

In another version scammers attempt to intimidate you by claiming there is a problem with your Medicare benefits. They may claim there has been suspicious activity on your account and if you don't give them the information they need right away, you are in danger of losing your benefits or worse.

Sometimes scammers even use robocalls to tell you there is a problem and ask you to call a different number to resolve it. Regardless of the method, the scammer's goal is to steal your personal information for their personal benefit.

Don't answer calls from unknown numbers. If you receive a call from a number you haven't saved to your contacts or if your caller ID says unknown, don't pick up the phone. Also, be aware that scammers can dupe caller ID and mask their true phone number.

When in doubt, hang up. If you do answer a call from an unsolicited caller and are greeted by a robocall or even a person who claims to be with a government agency, just hang up. Don't press any buttons, don't engage in conversation and don't ask to be removed from the calling list.

Know how government agencies work. Government agencies do not call consumers unsolicited. Instead, they send letters if they need to contact you.

If you receive a particularly convincing call from someone claiming to be a Medicare employee, hang up and call their toll-free number at 1-800-MEDICARE to verify Medicare issues.

If you have been the victim of identity theft, go to www.IdentityTheft.gov for more information and a personalized recovery plan.

To learn about other kinds of scams, go to www.BBB.org/ScamTips. As always, if you have been the victim of this or another scam, make others aware by filing a report on www.BBB.org/ScamTracker.

Visit www.bbb.org/canton or call 330-454-9401 to look up a business, file a complaint, write a customer review, read tips, follow us on social media and more.


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