Local officials serving aging populations in Muskegon, Oceana and Ottawa counties announced said a number of senior citizens have reported swindle attempts to the local Medicare and Medicaid assistance office.
MUSKEGON COUNTY,
MI – A flurry of phone calls attempting to rip off some of the Muskegon area’s
most vulnerable residents has picked up again, according to local officials.
Muskegon’s local Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Program and Senior
Resources of West Michigan, an agency dedicated to
serving aging populations in Muskegon, Oceana and Ottawa counties, said that a number of senior citizens have reported scam calls to the
local Medicare and Medicaid assistance office.
The recent attempts, which include calls to landline and mobile
numbers, have encompassed three types of fraud in particular.
Senior
Resources of West Michigan said one scam call originates from the Grand Haven-based Michigan Information
Services, which has offered coupons in an attempt to schedule home visits.
The
company claims that it received county telephone numbers from Senior Resources
of West Michigan, but the nonprofit has never provided names and phone numbers to
the third party, according to Senior Resources spokeswoman Maggie Jensen.
The
Better Business Bureau website as of Friday indicated that the business has
been accredited since May 22, 2013, and that its file opened on Dec. 21, 2012. No complaints have been filed against the company.
Meanwhile,
the Michigan Information Services website asserts that it was incorporated about 15 years ago and that it is licensed by the state for “Property, Casualty,
Life Health” insurance and has “relationships with AARP, Allianz, Aetna, Allstate,
Mutual of Omaha, Progressive and Priority Health.”
A second scam, fraudulent
calls from the number 409-574-1214, features persons with accents and with a poor
command of the English language. The individuals have attempted to verify personal
Medicare information and claim that the targeted person must provide the info so they can receive new cards.
However,
when called, the operator indicates the line is out of service. Internet search
engine queries show that several people have complained about the number.
The
third call comes from people claiming that residents are eligible for free
“Medical Alert” systems. These callers have professed to be from a delivery
service and that a benefactor will pay for the alert service.
Scammers
continue to make other types of fraudulent attempts as well. Some parties claim that government
agencies will pay utility bills while others have offered sweepstakes prizes, including
awards that require up-front payments.
Other
sting efforts try to sign seniors up for long-term annuities that are
ill-suited for their needs. Phishing attempts are also common. The scam comprises of callers posing as bank or credit card company representatives to obtain private data through phony phone calls and email messages that look official.
Doctors,
relatives and caretakers have also been targeted. In March, Senior Resources said a Muskegon doctor received a fax from a fake medical
equipment company seeking to obtain a patient’s personal information.
Earlier this year, in January, scammers attempted to collect illegitimate $500 fines by telling residents they had missed jury duty.
Here are some tips
to outsmart con artists and to identify questionable endeavors:
- If the call seems shady, simply hang up and avoid
conversation. - Family members of dementia patients should be extra cautious and may even want to monitor phone calls — individuals with problems with memory and disorientation may inadvertently give away personal information.
- Use
Internet search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing to see if other people have
reported shady activity from suspicious numbers. - Minimize
solicitation calls by registering with the Federal Trade Commission’s National Do
Not Call Registry. The free service allows residents to enroll up to three
telephone numbers including wireless lines. Consumers can register through www.donotcall.gov
or by calling 1-888-382-1222 or 1-866-290-4236 (TTY). Consumers must call from
the phone number they want to register. - Do not give away personal information including Social Security numbers and bank and
credit card account information if you didn’t initiate the call to a known official number. - When
updating person info, call agencies and firms directly by using the contact info
on legitimate websites and materials, including numbers found on the back of insurance, benefit or credit cards.
Suspicious activity can be reported to the following authorities:
- Muskegon’s
Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Program office: 231-733-3572 or
1-800-803-7174 - Michigan
Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Hotline: 877-765-8388 - Michigan
Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs’ Securities Division | Securities Commercial Licensing Bureau (formerly: Bureau
of Commercial Services): 517-241-6345 - The
U.S. Office of Inspector General Fraud Hotline: 800-447-8477 or 1-855-MI-FRAUD