{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Healthcare Scams","description":"A Podcast by BBB of the Tri-Counties A BIG thank you to Ayers Automotive Repairs in Santa Barbara for supporting this podcast. Welcome to this week\u2019s edition of Your Moment of Trust! Healthcare scams are as varied as just about any con out there. The fraudster often poses as a government authority to persuade you to provide personal information related to your Medicare or Medicaid account for identity theft. In other cases, the con artist is after your health insurance, Medicaid, or Medicare information to submit fraudulent medical charges. How the scam works: The scam typically starts with an email, text message, or phone call that appears to be from a government agency. Con artists use a variety of stories. In one common version, the \u201cagent\u201d tells you that he or she needs to update account information to send a new medical card. In another version, the scammer asks for your account number in exchange for free equipment or services. A third version involves a threatening robocall purporting to be from HealthCare.gov or the Health Insurance Marketplace. You\u2019re told you must buy health insurance or face a fine. Sure enough, you\u2019re soon asked to provide personal information. A more recent version has reported Medicare recipients receiving notices that new Medicare cards with microchips will be sent out and further verification is required. Tips to avoid this scam: \u25cf Don't trust a name or number. Con artists use official-sounding names or mask their area codes by spoofing to make you trust them. Don't fall for it. \u25cf Hang up and go to official websites. You can enroll or re-enroll in Medicare at Medicare.gov or a marketplace health plan at Healthcare.gov. \u25cf Never share personally identifiable information with someone who has contacted you unsolicited, whether over the phone, by email, or on social media. This includes banking and credit card information, your birthdate, Social Security or Social Insurance number, and, of course, your health insurance number. \u25cf Guard your government-issued numbers. Never offer your Medicare ID number, Social Security number, health plan info, or banking information to anyone you don\u2019t know. \u25cf Know the signs. Medicare will never contact you via email, text message, or phone, asking you to verify personal information. Until next time! ","author_name":"Your Moment of Trust","author_url":"http:\/\/yourmomentoftrust.libsyn.com\/website","html":"