Beware of Medicare phone scam
The West Virginia attorney general's office is warning consumers not to be tricked by callers posing as Medicare or Social Security Administration representatives -- the latest version of a nationwide phone scam.
Aimed at seniors on Medicare, the caller asks for personal information so a new Medicare card can be issued. If someone refuses, a second person posing as a supervisor gets on the line and says the information must be provided to remain in the Medicare program. Once they have the info, they use it to steal identities and tap into bank accounts.
Similar warnings have been issued in Kentucky and Illinois, but there have been cases reported across the United States, according to AARP Foundation Senior Manager Scott Adkins. He estimates that there are thousands of victims of this phone scam nationwide. The scam has been preying on consumers for more than two years with slight changes in the scheme. This latest version keys off of the health care issue and changes to the health care system.
