GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan. — We are less than a week into Open Enrollment, and already the Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Michigan is reporting cases of scammers preying on those needing to sign up for health care coverage. Nakia Mills with the BBB says it starts with attempts to obtain your personal information.
“In this case, they’re after either your Social Security number or your Medicare ID, which they can use to cause significant damage,” Mills said.
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A UnitedHealthcare Group Medicare Advantage PPO card rests on top of a Medicare card.
Nakia tells me there are three main ways scammers are targeting people this October.
First, individuals are receiving calls from someone claiming to help them find the best deal on coverage. Others have received letters or calls stating, “Hey, it’s time to renew your coverage. You just need to update some information.” When you update your information, you are unknowingly providing hackers with your personal details, which can give them access to your bank accounts and more. The final method exploits the deadline to sign up.
AP
FILE РThis file image provided by U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service shows the website for HealthCare.gov. As COVID-19 spreads uncontrolled in many places, a coalition of states, health care groups and activists is striving to drum up “Obamacare” sign-ups among a growing number of Americans uninsured in perilous times. (U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service via AP)
“They receive a text saying their coverage is expiring, and they are instructed to call a number and provide their bank information. With that information, they can pay for your renewal right there,” Mills said.
Nakia says the first red flag is that no one will randomly contact you asking for your Medicare ID number. She advises that if someone contacts you claiming to be from Healthcare.gov or Medicare, you should hang up, avoid responding to the text, or using the number provided in the letter. Instead, go directly to the official site, find the legitimate contact information, and reach out with your questions.
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Lastly, be wary of anyone offering gifts or health screenings during open enrollment. That’s just another ploy to obtain your Medicare ID number.
