Your parents and older neighbors are being targeted again with a Medicare phone scam. It's a spoof call probably coming from another country, but a local number will appear on caller ID. Juanita Jimenez Soto from Texas AARP says, “People who are older will just answer the phone --- despite the fact that they have been told, 'if you don’t know the number, don’t answer it.’”
The caller says there is a problem with their medicare registration and asks for personal information so their medicare card can be activated. “Many of these adults are more likely to give our information to somebody who is threatening some kind of negative action against them" says Jimenez-Soto. Medicare will never call or email asking for personal information.
- With any question about a call involving medicare call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227)
- For details about how to handle a questionable call, visit www.medicare.gov/fraud
- A good source of information about Scams Targeting the Elderly, visit www,AARP/org/fraudwatchnetwork
- Tell your older friends/parents, "Never answer a call if you don't recognize the name or number on the caller ID. If it's a valid call, they will leave a voice mail."
- Register their phone on the National Do Not Call Registry
- Look into putting a Call Blocking Program on their phone.