The BBB advises individuals who are adding or changing their Medicare or Healthcare.gov coverage during open enrollment to be wary of unsolicited calls claiming to “help” find the best deal. Open enrollment runs through Dec. 7 for Medicare and Dec. 15 for Healthcare.gov.
Scammers are using this open enrollment period as an opportunity to trick people out of money and personal information. The BBB Scam Tracker has received numerous reports of scam calls pretending to be from Medicare and offering better deals.
No matter how good the deal sounds and how convincing the caller seems, remember: the call is a scam, and sharing personal information creates an opportunity for identity theft.
To avoid open enrollment scams:
- Be skeptical of anyone who calls out of the blue — if someone asks for payment, it’s a scam;
- Be wary of free gifts and “health screenings”;
- Guard government-issued numbers — never offer a Medicare ID number, Social Security number, health plan information, or banking information;
- Go directly to official websites to make health care plan changes; or
- Contact employers directly.
Anyone unsure of whether or not a call or offer is from Medicare, or anyone who gave personal information to someone claiming to be with Medicare, should call 800-MEDICARE to report it. Those who suspect fraud when signing up for ACA coverage should go to HealthCare.gov or call the Health Insurance Marketplace call center at 800-318-2596.
Additional information is available here.
