Other LanguagesI just received word from the Skagit Valley Herald that a senior was contacted by a phone scammer who told her she needs to hand over her bank account information to receive a special Medicare card. The caller – who had a heavy accent – claimed to be from Washington, DC, but didn’t provide a name, phone number or any other identifying information.
Nevada’s attorney general issued a warning after a senior in that state reported an attempt to steal his Medicare number. In that situation, the caller pretended to be a government agency representative and said the Medicare beneficiary was eligible for a new glucose meter covered under Medicare Part B. The caller then asked the senior to confirm “you are who you say you are” and requested the beneficiary’s Medicare number.
Remember, government programs will never make unsolicited calls seeking financial or health information. Anyone who does so is a crook.
Information on how to identify and report Medicare fraud and abuse is available on the Office of the Insurance Commissioner's Web site.
[Thanks, reporter Lynsi Burton.]