scams targetting seniors

A Podcast by BBB of the Tri-Counties

A BIG thank you to Ayers Automotive Repairs in Santa Barbara for supporting this podcast.

Welcome to this week’s edition of Your Moment of Trust! Healthcare scams are as
varied as just about any con out there. The fraudster often poses as a government
authority to persuade you to provide personal information related to your Medicare or
Medicaid account for identity theft. In other cases, the con artist is after your health
insurance, Medicaid, or Medicare information to submit fraudulent medical charges.

How the scam works:

The scam typically starts with an email, text message, or phone call that appears to be
from a government agency. Con artists use a variety of stories. In one common version,
the “agent” tells you that he or she needs to update account information to send a new
medical card. In another version, the scammer asks for your account number in
exchange for free equipment or services. A third version involves a threatening robocall
purporting to be from HealthCare.gov or the Health Insurance Marketplace. You’re told
you must buy health insurance or face a fine. Sure enough, you’re soon asked to
provide personal information. A more recent version has reported Medicare recipients
receiving notices that new Medicare cards with microchips will be sent out and further
verification is required.

Tips to avoid this scam:

● Don't trust a name or number. Con artists use official-sounding names or mask
their area codes by spoofing to make you trust them. Don't fall for it.
● Hang up and go to official websites. You can enroll or re-enroll in Medicare at
Medicare.gov or a marketplace health plan at Healthcare.gov.
● Never share personally identifiable information with someone who has contacted
you unsolicited, whether over the phone, by email, or on social media. This
includes banking and credit card information, your birthdate, Social Security or
Social Insurance number, and, of course, your health insurance number.
● Guard your government-issued numbers. Never offer your Medicare ID number,
Social Security number, health plan info, or banking information to anyone you
don’t know.
● Know the signs. Medicare will never contact you via email, text message, or
phone, asking you to verify personal information.

Until next time!

This Podcast is from BBB of the Tri-Counties.

A BIG Thank you to Ayers Automotive Repairs in Santa Barbara for supporting this podcast!

Welcome to this week’s edition of Your Moment of Trust! Like many of us, older adults
are often targeted by con artists. Many victims don’t ask for help until it is too late! Help
your friends, family, clients, or patients avoid fraud by knowing the signs of current or
impending fraud.

Warning signs that fraud may occur:

● Frequent junk mail and spam calls. Incoming junk mail (illegitimate sweepstakes
offers, etc.) or receiving frequent calls from people offering valuable rewards or
asking for charitable donations are signs that fraud could easily occur or may
have already occurred.
● Unfamiliar payments are being made. Checks written or payments made to
unfamiliar or out-of-state companies should be a red flag.
● Acting secretively about phone calls or messages. When someone hides or acts
secretively about phone calls and messages, it could signify that they have
engaged a scammer.
● Sudden problems paying bills or buying food and other necessities. A sudden
lack of funds could mean an individual's money is being drained in some form of
scam activity. The cause should be investigated to rule out fraud.
Tips for helping your loved one avoid fraud
● Become familiar with common scams targeting older adults. Knowing the most
common tactics used to target older adults can help you more quickly identify
when scams occur.
● Emphasize the criminal nature of telemarketing and email fraud. Help your loved
one learn how to identify it and help them understand that these tactics are
illegal. In participating, it is possible they could be pulled into criminal activity
unknowingly.
● Encourage the person to ignore phone calls and messages that appear
suspicious. Don't reply to or click links within emails or text messages they are
unfamiliar with.
● Have a calm discussion about securing accounts and monitoring finances.
Helping older adults monitor their finances can be a great way to prevent scam
activity and identify if it has occurred.
● Help the person change their phone number. If constant calls continue, changing
the person's phone number may be worth changing. Registering the number
with the Do Not Call list is a great first step, although scammers won’t necessarily
follow the Do-Not-Call list laws. If unsafe calls continue, it may be best to change
the phone number.

Recognizing abuse against older adults:

The most common types of abuse are physical, emotional, financial, and verbal. The
National Council on Aging says up to five million older Americans are abused yearly,
and the annual loss by victims of financial abuse is estimated to be at least $36.5 billion.
In Canada, over 10 percent of older adults are victims of crime, and some experience
violent crimes or physical abuse.

BBB recommends that family, friends, and caregivers learn the signs of abuse or
neglect in older adults. Business owners dealing in the industry can share these signs
with employees.

Until next time!