The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning people about scammers posing as government healthcare agents to try and steal your personal information.
According to the BBB, the scam usually begins with an email, text message, or phone call that appears to be coming from a government agency, with a scammer on the other end who is ready with a variety of stories.
Versions of the scam include an “agent” telling the intended victim that he or she must answer a survey or update account information before receiving a new healthcare or medical card.
In another version, the scammer asks for your account number in exchange for free equipment or services.
A third version involves a threatening robocall that appears to be from the US Government’s HealthCare website or the Health Insurance Marketplace. The scammer tells you that you must buy health insurance or face a fine. In a more recent version, Medicare recipients received notices that new Medicare cards with microchips will be sent out and further verification is required.
Tips to avoid this scam:
- Don’t trust a name or number. Con artists use official-sounding names or mask their area codes by spoofing to make you trust them. Don’t fall for it.
- Hang up and go to official websites. You can enroll or re-enroll in Medicare at Medicare.gov or a marketplace health plan at Healthcare.gov.
- Never share personally identifiable information with someone who has contacted you unsolicited, whether over the phone, by email, or on social media. This includes banking and credit card information, your birthdate, Social Security or Social Insurance number, and, of course, your health insurance number.
- Guard your government-issued numbers. Never offer your Medicare ID number, Social Security number, health plan info, or banking information to anyone you don’t know.
- Know the signs. Medicare will never contact you via email, text message, or phone, asking you to verify personal information.
You can check for the latest scams or report one by using the BBB’s Scam Tracker.