It's a scam: Medicare will not call you

Serving Our Seniors has received calls from local residents asking if Medicare is issuing new Medicare cards. The short answer is "No," it is not. This is a scam. There was a change in federal law that mandated the removal of all Social Security numbers from all Medicare cards by April 2019. There has been no new changes to your Medicare number or your Medicare card since that time. If you recall, when new Medicare cards were issued to all Medicare consumers in 2018 and 2019, Medicare did not call its recipients. Therefore, it would make no sense that Medicare would start calling, now. Those who would call you, with this lie, are con artists working to steal your identity and your money. According to the retirees we have talked to, the call is convincing. One person said, "They told me they were Medicare, and this person knew my name, my address and my phone number." It does cause one to reason: "Who else would know that about me, if it wasn't Medicare?" Unfortunately, plenty of people would know that about you. It could be found in the old-fashioned, paperback, telephone book, and it could also be found by typing it into Google. Or worse, your name is on what is called a "suckers list." A "sucker's list" is a list of people and their contact information who have fallen for a scam in the past. Such lists are sold to other perpetrators, who are operating in a foreign country. They call and email people, many of whom are retirees, to steal their identity and their money. The call usually goes something like this: After you confirm your name, address and phone number, someone will ask you for your Social Security number and/or your current Medicare number. The other twist is the Medicare scam artist will sometimes try to work into the conversation the need for your credit card account number and/or your bank account number. Someone will say, "This is just to verify that I am speaking to the correct person." Horse puckies! That person is asking for this so that person can steal it from you. To prevent from being a victim, don't answer your phone. Let your answering machine/voicemail take the call. Then listen to the message. If it is a friend or family, you can call them back. Q&A Q: I have a smartphone, but I don't know how to empty my voicemail. So people can't leave me a message. Can Serving Our Seniors help me? A: Yes, we have a new co-worker. Her title is the digital divide trainer. She is here to help close the knowledge gap that keeps those, ages 60 and older, from learning what they want to know about using their smartphone, iPad/tablet or laptop. Call and ask for Breanna at 419-624-1856. Q: I live in Erie County, and I bought a Medicare Advantage Plan. I need skilled nursing care for continued rehabilitation. I just found out the Medicare Advantage Plan I bought isn't accepted by any of the facilities in Erie County. What can I do? A: Call Serving Our Seniors at 419-624-1856 and ask for a senior advocate assistant. We will call your plan, together, using a three-way phone call and advocate for you. If they do not arrange for an agreement between their insurance plan and a skilled nursing facility in Erie County, then we will help you file a complaint with the Ohio Department of Insurance.