Maintaining tight control of your identity and personal information has always been important. During the current COVID-19 pandemic, though, we may all be more vulnerable than ever to cases of identity theft and even Medicare fraud. This is due to the uncertainty that is characteristic of the pandemic. Fear of the virus may lead to us trusting people who claim they will help us. There have even been cases of scammers knocking at people’s doors, claiming to offer Coronavirus tests and demanding personal information.
We would like to remind you that you should only give your Medicare number to ‘participating Medicare pharmacists, primary and specialty care doctors, or people you trust to work with Medicare on your behalf,’ according to the CMS. You should also consistently check your Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) for any issues or errors you may recognize. Fraud over the phone is also exceedingly common, so it’s also important to remember that you will never receive a legitimate call from Medicare asking for your Medicare or Social Security Number.
More information about this topic can be found at Medicare.gov/fraud. Some notable warnings and reminders on the site include:
- Medicare will never call trying to sell you something
- Medicare will never approach you at your home
- ‘Medicare can’t enroll you over the phone unless you called first.’
- Call Medicare at 1-800-Medicare to report anything suspicious.
Elise has your safety and wellbeing at the top of her priorities. Feel free to call Elise with any questions you may have at (208)918-0201.
(Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)