Scam Targets Diabetes Patients
The Idaho Department of Insurance is urging consumers to be suspicious of anyone who offers free items or services and then requests Medicare or financial information, citing a recent warning from the Department of Health and Human Services.
?Never provide your Medicare or other personal information to people who call you,? says department Director Bill Deal in a news release Thursday. ?Once your information is in the hands of a dishonest person or supplier, you are susceptible to further scams.?
This new scam generally involves someone pretending to be from the government, a diabetes association or Medicare calling a Medicare beneficiary. The caller offers ?free? diabetic supplies in exchange for the beneficiary?s Medicare or financial information. In other versions, free items that were not ordered are delivered to the person?s home.
Unsolicited free items should be refused. People who receive these calls or unordered free items should call the Office of Inspector General at (800) HHS-TIPS or report the scam online at www.OIG.HHS.gov/fraud/hotline. Provide as much information as possible, including a summary of the conversation.
The department?s senior Health Insurance Benefits Advisors counselors are available to answer questions consumers may have about this and other Medicare issues by calling (800) 247-4422.
