Medicare Scams on the Rise Again in Minnesota

MORE SCAMS IN OUR AREA

Our Minnesota senior citizens are being targeted again by people who are pretending to be calling them about Medicare, Social Security, or supplemental insurance. Their actual purpose is to trick our seniors into giving up their private financial information, which can lead to identity theft and unauthorized withdrawals from their bank accounts. Please talk to the seniors in your life that you care about, to help them avoid falling victim to this and other scams.

THE SCAM

The Scammer claims that new cards are being issued; or that the beneficiary's file must be updated. The scam artist will ask the person to verify or provide their personal banking information, which they then use to steal from the person.

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The caller may be extremely aggressive, calling your loved one again and again, and at all times of the day, in an attempt to wear down the potential victim. They will say anything to try to gain a person’s trust. In some cases, the scammers may have already have some of the victims personal information, like their name, address, or even Social Security number, which the criminal then uses to try to make the call seem legitimate.

Sometimes, the scammers claim that they can improve the benefits.

WHAT TO DO

If you receive a call asking you to disclose your bank account or other financial information, hang up immediately.

If you are a Medicare or Social Security beneficiary, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Social Security Administration will not call you to ask you to disclose financial information in order to get a new card. If you receive such a call, you should report it to the following:

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
7500 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, MD 21244
www.cms.govexternal link icon

Social Security Administration
Office of Public Inquiries
1100 West High Rise
6401 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, MD 21235
(800) 772-1213
www.ssa.gov external link icon