Remember what you were taught when you were little?
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
And another one: There’s no such thing as a free lunch.
Most people can spot a scam or plot to trick people out of their money.
But sometimes seniors can get confused or find themselves victims.
Anytime someone calls or sends a letter saying that you’ve “won” a contest you didn’t enter, or mails you a check you weren’t expecting, be suspicious. Sorry, you aren’t that lucky.
Beware of these offers:
Medical alert systems
The annoying calls from “Rachel” from “Card Services” about your credit-card debt are still out there. Now they have been followed by equally annoying calls about a free medical alert system or personal alarm system for senior citizens.
The calls don’t seem to be targeted to households with senior citizens — I’ve received the calls at home and we don’t have a senior living with us.
The recording implies that someone has specifically signed up the person for the system and it has already been paid for.
The Better Business Bureau is warning seniors and caretakers about these calls. According to the BBB, in many cases, senior citizens who have provided their bank account or credit-card information to “verify” their identity have found they were charged the monthly service fee, around $35, and that the system either never arrived or they had trouble returning it and getting a refund.
Callers have been described as “pushy” and may use scare tactics to intimidate seniors into providing sensitive information.
“Unfortunately, our seniors are at the highest risk of being victimized by deceptive sales tactics and targeted for identity theft,” said David Weiss, president of the BBB of Greater Cleveland. “While pushy sales tactics aren’t themselves illegal, we encourage seniors and their caretakers alike to ask questions and to look for red flags associated with a scam.”
Here are some things to watch for, listed by the BBB:
• “Free” offers — These are offers that require you to pay a handling charge or other fees. In the case of medical alert systems, ask if there are additional monthly charges. If the telemarketer says a friend or family member bought the unit, ask for the name of the person and verify with him or her before agreeing to anything.
• Scare tactics — Being trapped in your home with no way to call for help can be a scary situation for anyone, but for many seniors, it can be a realistic scenario. Don’t fall for scare tactics.
• Calls for immediate action — Listen for language such as, “This offer is good for today only!”
• Implied endorsement or affiliation with legitimate entities — If a seller claims its product has been endorsed by another reputable organization, check for verification.
• Refuses to answer questions directly, provide contact information or complete offer details — Tell the caller you will not provide any information or make any decisions until you get all details in writing.
Health-care scams
The Ohio Department of Insurance is warning about con artists who are taking advantage of the confusion about the federal health-care reform law called the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to steal personal information. The scammers are claiming to be representatives of a health insurance exchange, Medicare or a “government program.”
“No one from an official government program should be calling you requesting your personal information,” said Ohio Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor, the state’s insurance director.
Here are some specifics:
• The scammers claim to be authorized to help people navigate the health insurance exchange created under the ACA and say they need to verify the person’s name, address and Social Security number.
The Ohio insurance agency (ODI) says: Health insurance exchange open enrollment does not begin until Oct. 1. The marketing of plans offering coverage through the exchange has not begun.
• The callers claim to be a Medicare representative and say that because of the ACA, the person’s information needs to be verified in order to receive a new Medicare card.
Tip from ODI: New Medicare cards are not being issued because of the health-care law.
• The callers say they need the person’s Medicare number to provide an updated medical emergency alert device.
Tip from ODI: Medicare does not cover medical alert devices.
Medicare or government program representatives do not make house calls or solicit by telephone. Protect your personal information and do not give out your Medicare, Social Security or bank account numbers.
If you have been contacted by a suspicious caller seeking your personal information, call the Ohio Department of Insurance’s fraud hot line at 800-686-1527. You can also report it online at www.insurance.ohio.gov.
Betty Lin-Fisher can be reached at 330-996-3724 or blinfisher@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/blinfisher and see all her stories at www.ohio.com/betty.