COLLINSVILLE, Okla. — An unexpected call first thing on the morning of July 8 had Kathleen Oliver of Collinsville sorry she ever picked up the phone.
She expected a repairman.
"So when the phone rang," she said, "I just answered it. Most phone calls I let them go to voicemail."
Instead of the repairman, a man on the line claimed she needed to give him information so he could determine if she needed a new Medicare card.
"You're not supposed to give this information over the phone." She told him. "And he said, 'Well, we're helping Medicare out.'"
She provided the information but had second thoughts after hanging up. She tried calling back.
"They disconnected that number immediately," said Oliver. "And I realized I had been scammed."
Her computer is broken, so she told 2 News she could not find a number to reach Medicare. Then she called the Problem Solvers for help with and to let others know how to avoid getting tricked.
To report Medicare scams:
- Call Medicare: 1-800-medicare that's 800-633-4227
- Put in an online complaint to the Federal Trade Commission.
Medicare scams havethree goals.
- Steal Identities and personal information
- Steal healthcare services and supplies using stolen identities
- Steal prescription medications using stolen identities
Scammers use simple methods hoping to trick Medicare recipients:
- Threats of canceled coverage because there is a "problem" with their Medicare account requiring lots of personal or banking information to fix
- claims recipients are eligible for or pre-approved for new health or prescription plans - but there is a fee to enroll
- claims recipients will get a refund - but the caller needs your banking information to send it
- claims that recipients need a renewed or upgraded medicare card - the caller then asks for lots of personal information for "verification" or a fee to process the renewal
- promises of free services or goods
Contact the Problem Solvers:
- 918-748-1502
- problemsolvers@kjrh.com
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