| Do you have a cell phone? What about a landline? Are you on social media? Do you receive mail? If so, you’ve probably experienced this scam! Imposter scams are where a scammer pretends to be someone of authority or from a legitimate organization. These scammers will impersonate anyone, but it’s common for scammers to impersonate an FBI agent, someone from Medicare, or another government or federal organization. They use this fake identity to demand private information from you, such as your Medicare number or banking information. They can even spoof the call, which means they can have the caller ID show up as “Medicare” or “IRS” to look legitimate. If you receive a call from a number not in your contact list, do not answer. It could be a scammer impersonating any number of organizations.
Common Impersonations: Government Imposters: Government agencies do not call us. If a governmental organization needs to contact you, they will typically send a letter in the mail. During tax season, expect scammers to impersonate the IRS, claiming you owe money for taxes and possibly threatening legal action. The Social Security Administration is another popular choice for impersonators, claiming you need to verify your Social Security number or offering an increase of benefits. Grandparent Scam: Scammers will call and pretend to be a grandchild or other loved one, asking for financial assistance. They will ask you not to contact anyone and send the money immediately, usually through gift cards or other odd payment method. The rise of Artificial Intelligence has made this scam more popular, as scammers can use it to clone the voices of our loved ones, making the call sound legitimate. If you receive a call like this, immediately check in on that loved one and do not send money or gift cards. Medicare Imposters: Another impersonation scheme is Medicare Imposters. This is where a scammer claims to be a representative from Medicare and asks you to confirm your Medicare number. They may threaten to cancel your health benefits if you don’t share your Medicare number or claim that there are issues with your coverage. It’s often common for them to offer “free” products or services. Medicare scams are constantly changing, but we know that Medicare will never call us. If we ever receive a call or text message claiming to be from Medicare, do not answer the call and delete the message! It is a scammer! These impersonations can happen through a call, text, letter, or social media post! Be suspicious of anyone asking for your private information and always verify before sending money or information. If you are contacted by one of these imposters, report it! For Medicare imposters, report it to your Texas Senior Medicare Patrol at 888-341-6187 |