BBB warns about healthcare scams
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The Better Business Bureau serving Central Virginia is warning the public to be aware of increasing scams during the current open enrollment for health care coverage, available on Medicare.gov through Dec. 7 and Healthcare.gov through Jan.15.
Scammers use a variety of ways to take advantage of their victims, such as claiming to be a “health care benefits advocate” or government representative who can help citizens learn more about health care options, according to the BBB.
These scammers ask for personal information to get started with the process. Although there are Navigators and Assistors to help citizens, they cannot ask for personal information, BBB officials said. Sharing that information with scammers opens the door to identity theft, which could be easily prevented otherwise.
The BBB encourages people to decline promotional offers in exchange for personal information and never give away government-issued numbers.
To report a scam, visit BBB.org/ScamTracker, and visit BBB.org/HealthCareScam for more information on avoiding health care scams.
