Watch Out for Scammers!

With Open Enrollment, or AEP, comes an uptick in scamming. We get calls daily about a phone call or piece of mail someone received that seemed suspicious. Half of the time, it’s just someone trying to make a living, but the other half, it’s a blatant SCAM!

The unimaginable rise in data breaches has made the dark web a busy place these days and our personal information is up for grabs.

Here’s a few things to keep in mind:

• Medicare is NOT sending out a new Medicare ID card with a chip.

• Medicare will NOT call and ask for your social security number or bank account number.

• Scammers have a program that can manipulate your caller ID to make it appear as if they’re calling from a credible source.

• Social Security or Medicare will NEVER call you on a weekend.

• Because of the Dark Web, scammers may have a little bit of your personal information which makes them seem legitimate, but they use that little bit to get more.

• Offering “freebies” in exchange for your personal information should be a red flag.

• Read all the fine print on anything you receive in the mail claiming to be from the government, as some are ads for private corporations containing disclaimers. If it’s fake, throw it away!

• If ever you’re in doubt, HANG UP and call us, or the number on the back of your Medicare card.

We know from experience that not everyone is out to do you harm, but it’s important to keep your guard up and if something doesn’t seem right, follow your instincts. Give us a call and we’ll help you clarify any confusion!