With Medicare's open enrollment period on the horizon, be aware that scammers are ready to take advantage. They often send official-looking letters in the mail offering things like free medical equipment or big improvements to your insurance plan.
The amount of junk mail people receive can be overwhelming. Andrew Tauzin from the Lagniappe Insurance Group says people "get frustrated, and they end up throwing everything away." He's even had clients who accidentally threw out their real Medicare cards while sorting through piles of mail.
So, how can you spot a fake?
Kathryn Mobley, CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Acadiana, advises you to read the fine print. A scam letter might look real, but there's often a giveaway. "You think, ‘Oh, okay, this is a Medicare letter,'” Mobley says. “But then at the bottom and in the little, small print, it’ll have, ‘This is not a government agency.’" They are required to include this disclaimer, but most people never read it.
Tauzin adds that you should always check the phone number. "When you call 1-800-Medicare, you know you’re calling Medicare," he says. "If you have something in the mail that has a number...and it’s not 1-800-Medicare, that’s not Medicare. It could be fraudulent.”
Other scams to watch out for include people filing for medical equipment in your name or changing your plan without you knowing. Tauzin warns that some salespeople don't care about what's best for you. He says, “Their job is to sell that product. Whether it’s a good fit for the client or not is irrelevant to them, and that’s how people get taken advantage of.”
Here are three simple tips to protect yourself:
-
Read your mail carefully. Pay attention to the fine print and any contact information provided.
-
Contact official sources. If you have any questions, call the real Medicare number at 1-800-MEDICARE or visit their official website: https://www.medicare.gov/.
-
Guard your Medicare number. Never give your personal information to anyone, especially if they are using scare tactics.