Scam artists using ACA to grab seniors’ personal info

Beginning today, Americans are eligible to enroll in healthcare exchanges. While Medicare/Medicaid recipients are spared that confusion, they are still the targets of identity theft. Preying on the elderly and their confusion with the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Better Business Bureau (BBB) warns that scammers are posing as government officials with information about the receiving health insurance cards that the ACA requires.

Of course, before the recipient can receive his or her card, the con artist asks for important personal information such as the person’s Social Security number and direct-deposit bank account number.

“Whenever there is a new government program or new public policy, fraudsters will take advantage of people. But the simple fact is there is no Affordable Care card. It’s a scam,” said Carrie A. Hurt, president and CEO of the Council of Better Business Bureaus in a release.

The BBB recommends that consumers never give out personal information to anyone they have not contacted. The government makes contact via regular mail. The best protection to an unwanted solicitation is to just hang up the phone. The BBB say to not press any buttons during the call or call back.

If you have questions on how the ACA affects you, initiate the call yourself.

Sandra Hoban

Sandra Hoban was on I Advance Senior Care / Long-Term Living’s editorial staff for 17 years. She is one of the country’s longest-serving senior care journalists. Before joining Long-Term Living, she was a member of the promotions department at Advanstar Communications. In addition to her editorial experience, Sandi has served past roles in print and broadcast advertising as a traffic and talent coordinator.