Beware of Telephone Scams

Telephone scams have been around for many years. In recent years, telephone scams have been on the rise. Due to personal experience, all of us at Omaha Medigap thought it is important to make people aware of the scams. We are hoping this post will help others from getting scammed.

How Scams Appear

Picture this if you will, it is evening time and you finally sit down to your favorite book or television show. The telephone rings and you answer. You can barely understand what is being said, therefore you try to listen more carefully. Chances are the caller is trying to scam the person receiving the call.

The person states they are calling from Medicare or the IRS. Some callers have said they are from Microsoft trying to gain access to important computer files. Others will say they are a sheriff from the local area needing money for a loved one that was arrested. The calls appear to be from many different organizations looking for victims.

They begin asking questions about personal information. Most of the time people will begin looking for the requested information because they believe the person on the other end of the call. The person will trick someone by given limited or minimal information to make the call seem legit. There are times they will threaten a warrant being issued and someone will come to your door. Consequently, people will send money to the scammer because they fear the worst.

The next thing you know, the scammer is asking you for money that must be sent through Western Union or on a gift card. Or items will show up on a credit report for a credit card someone did not request. They will take money or use personal information in any way that will benefit them.

Understanding the Signs of Scams

It is important to understand the signs that these calls are a scam. The first and most important sign is that Medicare and the IRS will NOT call you. They will send letters advising you to call them or respond to the letter. The agencies will also not send someone to your house. If a meeting is necessary, you will have to go to the office of the agency. While their dialogue is convincing, and it would appear they know your personal information, they do not have enough. They are trying to get more useful information from you such as, Social Security number, bank account information, date of birth, and/or credit card numbers. They are out to get anything that will benefit them and make you a victim.

The numbers they call from are normally untraceable. If dialed back it will have a recording stating that the number call cannot be reached. The best thing to do is hang up on them and do not provide them with any details. In some cases, they will call right back. Ignoring the call is the best way to protect yourself. The FCC released a statement on the New Medicare Card Scam.

My Best Advice

The best advice I can give to you is do not give these people the opportunity to make you a victim. Do not give them your personal information they are seeking. Tell your family and friends to beware of the types of calls. Hang up on them to protect yourself. Unfortunately, they will just move on to the next person. Hopefully, they will be educated like you and hang up. Following this advice will help you outsmart a scammer.

Remember, all of us at Omaha Medigap are not here to scam you. We are here to help you with finding the best possible insurance for your healthcare needs. Here you will always know who you are going to talk to. We are dedicated to you by providing the best possible service we can provide. Please contact us if you need a Medicare Supplement plan.