Medicare scam targets seniors

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June 23, 2005 Medicare scam targets seniors
<LI type=square>Callers ask for bank account numbers for drug benefit cards
By Morgan Kelly
Staff writer At least six West Virginians have given their bank account numbers to scam artists claiming to sell the Medicare prescription drug benefit cards that go into effect Jan. 1, according to an e-mail alert sent to state Medicare and consumer protection officials.

According to one Medicare official, a man named Brian, claiming to be from a company called Med Pharmacy Express, called a Medicare recipient in St. Albans last month.

The man said he needed $300 dollars from the woman’s account to cover the cost of a benefit card, according to the e-mail from Tamara McCloy, an official at the national Medicaid and Medicare centers’ Philadelphia-based regional office, which covers West Virginia.

The woman — who was not named — said she was covered by her husband’s plan, but Brian told her participation was required. Soon after giving Brian her account number, the woman found out from the state Attorney General’s Office that it was a scam, according to the e-mail.

When she went to close her account, the woman learned that $398 had been withdrawn and was told that five other bank customers had closed their accounts after falling for the same scam.

As far as the drug benefit card goes, Medicare hasn’t contracted with any companies at this point and won’t until October, said Peter Ashkenaz, a spokesman for Medicare, which provides health coverage for seniors and people with kidney failure.

When the contracts are in place, Medicare rules forbid companies from calling recipients unless the person has made a written request for more information, he said. Furthermore, legitimate companies won’t ask for bank information.

“People shouldn’t be asked for any bank information. The most people should give out is their Medicare number,” he said.

“If anybody with Medicare gets a call from anybody saying they’re selling the new Medicare benefit, they should not give them any information at all because they’re not legitimate,” he said. “If they’re calling you first they’re probably not legit.”

At least 13 states have reported similar incidents of scam artists selling drug discount and benefit cards to seniors door-to-door or over the phone. In Colorado, a senior was told he would lose his Medicare if he didn’t supply his Social Security number and bank account, according to the AARP. The caller’s number was registered in Quebec, Canada.

Anyone receiving calls offering the benefit card should contact the police or the consumer protection division, Ashkenaz said.

Attorney General Darrell McGraw’s consumer protection division has received complaints about some companies that claim to sell Medicare cards, but this is the first it has been alerted of these particular cases, said Jill Miles, deputy attorney general for consumer protection.

Until those complaints are reviewed seniors need to be wary of those claiming to sell the card, she said.

“The most important thing is for people to be aware that there are companies calling them, asking for bank information and claiming to be affiliated with the Medicare prescription drug benefit plan and they’re not,” she said.

Consumers in general should avoid giving out bank information to people who call asking for it, Miles said.

“How do you tell the difference between a fake company and a legitimate one?” she said. “Once they have your bank account number they can ... create something that looks like a check, works like a check and the only difference is it doesn’t have your signature.”

It is very sad when slim balls like this and others prey on our parents..This pisses me off to no end.
Tell your ageing parents and or grand parents to provide nothing to anyone with out checking first and if they are not sure about who to contact to verify then contact you