HARTFORD, Ky. — The Ohio County Sheriff’s Office, along with Medicare, is warning citizens about a scam involving new Medicare cards scheduled to come out in April.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, starting Apr. 1, 2018, Medicare will start a year-long project to replace all current Medicare cards for beneficiaries to convert to alphanumeric ID numbers. Currently, the ID number is the cardholder’s social security number.
The new Medicare card will come to you in the mail. You do not need to request it or do anything. It will show up.
WHAT IS THE SCAM?
Somebody saying they are “MEDICARE” will call to tell you, you are getting a new Medicare card. However, until it comes you will need a temporary card. They say you will need to pay a fee for the card, and the fee is between $5 and $50 dollars. They want personal information, bank account, or a credit card number so they can process your temporary card.
THINGS TO REMEMBER
- Medicare will never call you unless you ask them to.
- Medicare does all communications by mail unless you ask them to call
- Medicare will never call saying “I work with Medicare and want to make sure you get everything you are entitled to.”
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THIS SCAM
First, spread the word. Feel free to share this post. Use your answering machine to screen calls or just do not even answer a number you do not recognize. If it has happened to you or your friends or loved ones and personal info had been given out, immediately take action to protect yourself against identity theft.