Scammers posing as Medicaid workers are calling South Carolina residents, asking for personal information, according to a warning issued by the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services last Friday.
The callers are asking for Social Security numbers, Medicaid identification numbers and bank account numbers. Legitimate Medicaid workers would never make this request over the telephone. The request is being justified by the callers, who say they need the information for verification purposes.
Medicaid and Medicare scams are becoming more common nationwide, and the targets of these scams are often elderly and disabled citizens.
Avoid giving out your personal or financial information over the telephone. If someone calls requesting your personal or financial information, ask for the caller’s full name and telephone number. If the caller refuses to provide the information, hang up immediately.
Remember that in order to protect yourself from identity theft, you must be careful with your personal and financial information. Never provide it via phone call, and don’t give it out online unless you initiate contact and you are sure you are transmitting on a secured line. If you receive a telephone call and you are unsure if it is legitimate, contact the agency or organization directly to find out if the call was made.
If you suspect that you have been the target of a Medicaid fraud such as this one, call the Medicaid Fraud Hotline at 888-364-3224.
Tags: identity theft of elderly, LifeLock, Medicaid, Medicare, telephone scams
