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Scammers Exploit Medicare Open Enrollment

November 24, 2006
A Medicare scam has returned to target seniors, likely meant to coincide with the re-opening of enrollment for the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan.

In the scheme, a senior is contacted by a caller claiming to be affiliated with Medicare. The caller claims that he/she must be given a bank-account number to debit $300 from the recipient's account. Otherwise, the Medicare recipient is told they will either lose or not receive a new prescription-drug card.

Spokesmen for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services emphasize that representatives from any of the approved Part D plans should not ask for personal information over the phone. They say Medicare recipients should never have to give any personal information to someone who calls uninvited, no matter who the caller claims to be.

In addition, legitimate plans will not charge up-front fees to enroll Medicare recipients or to allow them to change plans.

"My office has received more than two dozen calls in the past week from seniors who have been targeted by this despicable scam," said Arkansas Attorney General Mike Beebe.

"If you are a Medicare recipient, do not be frightened or bullied into giving your bank-account information by unsolicited callers. If you have relatives who are enrolled or may be enrolling in Plan D, make sure they know about this scam before they are targeted," Beebe said.

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