Medicare ID theft
My folks are 83. Their Dr. called me in mid-August and advised they received a fax from a Nova Scotia fax number requesting auth for subscription for Diabetes medications. Neither of my folks are Diabetic. The Doc Assistant immediately ID’d this as fraud, but wanted me to know the requester had all my parent’s medicare info correct on the request. No info on the request re: requester other than the return Fax Number. My nephew caught my Mom on the phone sometime in the last 6th months or so with her medicare card in hand. We believe that is when they got the number(s) even though Mom denies she gave it out.
QUESTION: Is there an impact on them financially – or otherwise – if their medicare numbers have been compromised on the dark web? I’m planning on getting Life Lock for them, but want to be sure not missing anything else I should be doing to protect them.
Sorry so verbose. I’ve been following you for years on CBS2 and WGN. So great.
Thanks so very much for your time.
Terry Says
Oh, yes, there are lots of implications! So first follow the directions at this article and immediately freeze your parents’ credit reports. AND read their credit report online (free per the instructions) to make sure there are no new cards or RECENT INQUIRIES from financial institutions in their names.
Then call the FBI at 1-800-CALL FBI or report it online to www.tips.FBI.gov. Give them the story AND that return FAX number.
Then call Medicare and tell them your story. The can issue a new ID # — easier now that it is NOT their SS number.
Then keep track of their credit cards and bank accounts. Check balances regularly. Lots of seniors are defrauded like this – they are so trusting over the phone. Maybe it’s time to change their phone number, too??
