Elaborate Medicare phone scam targets seniors
A Wisconsin woman was told her Medicare benefits were terminated
SUAMICO, Wis. (InvestigateTV) - “Painful, because I knew then I was in a scam and I thought I had to follow the rules to get my Medicare benefits back.”
The victim of a Medicare scam talked with our investigators to help you recognize an elaborate phone scam.
This elaborate scheme is targeting seniors and their Medicare benefits.
A Wisconsin woman, who we’re only identifying as Janet, says she was coerced into believing she lost her benefits and had to cooperate to get them back.
“So evil, because they’re taking your Medicare number and who knows what they’ll do with it.”
Janet says she was on the phone for hours with callers impersonating Medicare, the pharmacy and her doctors when she was told her Medicare benefits were terminated.
“It sounded legitimate. A man came on. He said, ‘I’ve worked for Medicare for 29 years. We have to update your record.’ He just kept pushing that, and I gave in and gave that number.”
“It was so elaborate and so tricky the way they had my doctor call me. That’s really going above and beyond.”
She said she was suspicious but was coerced into believing she had to work with them to get her benefits back.
She said the person impersonating Medicare gave her detailed instructions to get medical equipment she didn’t need.
“‘They’re going to offer you a back brace and a knee brace and a wrist brace, and you just say OK,‘” Janet recalled. “He came back on and said they’re not going to give you a wrist brace, and I said I don’t need any of that. He said, ‘Just say yes to everything they say.’”
Janet contacted Medicare, verified it was a scam, and had to get a new Medicare number.
Days later, those medical devices she didn’t need started showing up in the mail. She refused all of those packages of medical supplies.
“The UPS man was in the driveway, and I said ‘Can I return these? I don’t need it. It’s a scam. I don’t want it.’ He said that I could refuse it.”
We talked with Wisconsin’s Senior Medical Patrol, an organization that helps prevent and report fraud.
They want you to know Medicare does not take away anyone’s benefits, and Medicare will never contact you unsolicited to ask for your Medicare number or other personal information or to send you a new card.
Medicare already has your information.
If you suspect Medicare fraud or a scam, call 1-800-633-4227 or go to the Medicare fraud web page.
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