Seema Verma (seen in the above photo), the
administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, offers the
below scam alert:
Since older Americans are particularly
vulnerable to coronavirus (COVID-19), I wanted to remind Medicare beneficiaries
to be vigilant and take precautions to avoid falling victim to healthcare fraud
during this pandemic.
We’re warning Medicare
beneficiaries that scammers may try to use this pandemic to steal their
Medicare number, banking information, or other personal data.
Unfortunately,
scammers take advantage of the most vulnerable during times of uncertainty and
change. You must protect yourself by making sure you only give your
Medicare number to your doctor, pharmacist, hospital, health insurer, or other
trusted healthcare provider.
If someone calls you on
the phone, saying they’re from Medicare, and asks for your Medicare number or
other personal information – just hang up.
Our representatives
will never:
§
Call
beneficiaries to ask for or to “verify” Medicare numbers.
§
Call
to sell you anything.
§
Promise
you things if you give them a Medicare number.
§
Visit
you at your home.
§
Call
you to enroll you in a Medicare program over the phone, unless you
called us first.
We removed Social
Security numbers from all Medicare cards last year to reduce fraud and protect
our beneficiaries from identity theft. Even with this change, you should guard
your Medicare card like you would a credit card. Be sure to check your Medicare
claim summaries for errors and questionable bills.
If you suspect Medicare
fraud, please report it by calling Medicare’s toll-free customer service center
at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). You can also visit us online.
Please help spread the
word by sharing this message with family and friends. Your health and
safety is important to us. So, please continue to follow President Trump’s
public health guidelines by staying home. These simple actions could save more
than 1 million American lives in the weeks and months to come.
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