JACKSON, Miss.–The Better Business Bureau is still warning consumers about scams related to the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Specifically the BBB is warning about phone calls some people have been getting from people claiming to be with the federal government.
These callers say that people now need new health insurance cards under the ACA and try to gather as much personal information as they can.
“Con artists are taking advantage of people’s confusion about what exactly the Affordable Care Act means for them,” says Carrie A. Hurt, President and CEO of the Council of Better Business Bureaus. “Scammers’ favorite tools are confusion and fear.”
Hurt says this is a scam that has been slightly tweaked from the “Medicare Scam” that they’ve seen for years.
Below, the BBB urges consumers to ignore these pitches and use the follow precautions when dealing with this type of scam:
- Be cautious with your identity. Never give personal information to someone who has contacted you unsolicited, whether by phone, email, social media or in person.
- Hang up, don’t press any buttons and don’t call back. Returning the phone call may just give the con artist information he can use.
- The government uses regular mail. Government agencies normally communicate through the mail, so be cautious of calls, text messages or emails.
- Don’t trust caller ID. Scammers have technology that lets them display any number or organization name on your screen.
- Keep your personal information to yourself. Never give out personal information such as credit card numbers, bank account numbers, date of birth or Social Security numbers to unfamiliar callers.
