Medicare scam being reported in W.Va.

A bogus company is calling people, misrepresenting that it is phoning on behalf of Medicare. This company seeks personal information, including Social Security numbers, for purposes of enrolling people in Medicare.

State Attorney General Darrell McGraw said there have been numerous calls received at the ElderWatch office from concerned citizens who have experienced these types of calls.

ElderWatch is a consumer protection partner of the Attorney General’s office and is operated by the AARP Foundation.

Citizens say the scammers are calling individuals asking for their checking account numbers. Those who answer their phones are told the government needs to send them new Medicare cards and recipients will not have coverage without the new card.

This scam has hit the north-central area of West Virginia with reports received from Monongalia, Marion, Harrison and Barbour counties.

Be alert of anyone wanting personal information and never feel pressured to volunteer such information, advised McGraw.

“Scams are damaging to the victims and in times like these we should all provide each other with the accurate knowledge to avoid falling into these fraudulent tricks,” McGraw said.

To ensure the safety of personal information, do not provide anything like account numbers or Social Security numbers to anyone who calls asking for it.

If you believe you may have been the victim of this scam, contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division online or by calling the Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-368-8808.