House call: Scammers target Medicare recipients
Aug 01, 2017 01:53PM ● By Megan Terlecky
If you have Medicare, scammers are targeting you!
The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) is getting reports of scammers contacting people in the Grand Valley pretending to call on behalf of Medicare. Don’t fall for it! Representatives from Medicare will never call you—the U.S. government’s preferred form of communication is by mail.
How it works
This scam begins when someone calls a potential victim asking if they have received new Medicare information. Once the scammer establishes that the person they’ve called does, in fact, have Medicare, they’ll try to make an appointment to come to the victim’s house to explain benefits.At first, the callers may not try to sell anything, or ask for any information that could make their story sound less real. It’s not real, though. It’s a scam. They’re looking for your address and any other personal information they can get their hands on.
The scam
Victims give their home addresses to the caller for the so-called “appointment.” With that information, scammers may try to steal your mail for your Social Security checks, or try to rob you.In the past, the MCSO has seen cases where thieves pretend to be salesman or handymen to get inside homes to look around. They take jewelry or prescription pills when the owner is not looking, or come back later to burglarize the house. In the case of the Medicare scam, the perpetrators may not even be in this country and may call back to cancel the fake appointment. But now that they have the victim’s trust, they’ll try to get personal information over the phone. Victims are more willing to give up information to someone they were planning to meet in person.
Protect yourself
Typically, scammers will only try to get information over the phone. The fact that these scam artists are asking to come to your house is particularly alarming. Scammers are getting smarter, working every angle to fool as many people as they can to make a buck. But you can outsmart them by keeping the following in mind:
- Remember that Medicare will never call and ask for personal information. If you get a similar call, hang up immediately.
- Legitimate Medicare drug plans will not ask for payment over the phone or via the internet—they must send a bill by mail.
- Also remember that no one can come to your house uninvited. If someone tries to do so, call 911.
- Never feel pressured to make a decision over the phone—any real company will give you time to think over a purchase.
If you have questions about Medicare, call Medicare directly at 1-800-633-4227. If you have questions, call MCSO at 244-3500. We’re happy to let you know if a call you received is a scam going around the community.
