Seniors targeted in Medicare scam
June 1, 2011 – 11:04 amNevada’s attorney general has issued a warning for senior adults that a new scam is targeting Medicare recipients.
The scam works like this: a senior receives a call from a scammer saying the senior is eligible for new diabetic meters that are generally covered by Medicare under Medicare Part B. The caller claims he is a government agency representative, and he tells the senior that he’s eligible for a new glucose meter. The scammer will then ask for the senior’s Medicare number in order to verify the senior’s identity.
A number of senior adults have already fallen for this scam in Nevada.
Seniors are becoming more savvy at protecting their Medicare numbers, but there is always the possibility that there’s the one who isn’t. And if a thief gets that number, it opens the senior up to identity theft and medical identity theft.
Seniors are often more susceptible to such scams because they are more trusting, especially when a caller is friendly or offers them something they really need, like a glucose meter.
According to Medicare, unsolicited calls will never be made to a beneficiary. If you or a senior you know receives such a call, hang up immediately and report the incident to your state attorney general’s office.
Senior adults must be vigilant, just like the rest of the population, by guarding all of their personal information. Don’t provide it unless absolutely necessary, and never give it to anyone during an unsolicited phone call. Shred all documents that contain your personal information before you discard them, and make sure you check your bank and credit card statements, as well as your credit report, regularly.
Tags: LifeLock, Medicare, Medicare Part B, senior identity theft
