📲 How to Avoid Medicare Insurance Scam Phone Calls:
A Guide for Seniors

As a trusted Medicare insurance provider, Senior Benefit Solutions understands how frustrating it can be to receive unsolicited phone calls from scammers pretending to represent legitimate companies. Unfortunately, even Senior Benefit Solutions has experienced this issue. Recently, our phone number was spoofed in a series of fraudulent phone calls to potential customers. This led to a negative review on Google, despite the fact that these calls were not from us. In light of this, we want to take a proactive approach and help educate consumers on how to recognize and avoid Medicare insurance phone scams, including those involving spoofed phone numbers.

What is Caller ID Spoofing?

One of the most common tactics scammers use today is "caller ID spoofing." This occurs when a scammer disguises their real phone number by making it appear on your caller ID as if it’s coming from a legitimate local business or trusted organization. They do this to trick you into answering the phone, thinking that it’s someone you know or a reputable company. In our case, scammers have been using our company’s phone number, leading to confusion and frustration for many customers.

Unfortunately, spoofing can damage the reputation of legitimate businesses, as it almost did for us, when people mistakenly think the scam calls are from the actual company. It's crucial to understand how to identify spoofed calls and how to protect yourself from falling victim to Medicare-related scams.

Common Types of Medicare Insurance Scams

Medicare scams come in many forms, and it’s important to be aware of the different tactics fraudsters use. Here are a few common types of scams that target Medicare beneficiaries:

1. Phishing Scams
   Scammers call pretending to be from Medicare, insurance companies, or other healthcare providers, asking for your Medicare number, Social Security number, or other personal information. They may claim they need this information to send you a new card, verify your identity, or offer a special deal on coverage. Once they have your information, they can commit identity theft or bill Medicare for services or supplies you never received.

2. Fake Plan Sales
   Fraudsters may call pretending to represent Medicare or a legitimate insurance provider, offering you a new or improved Medicare plan. They often create a sense of urgency, claiming that you must act quickly to secure these benefits or avoid penalties. In reality, these callers have no affiliation with Medicare or any legitimate insurance agency.

3. Testing and Vaccine Scams
   Scammers may use recent events, like the COVID-19 pandemic or the yearly influenza season, to their advantage. For example, they may call offering “free” tests or vaccines in exchange for your Medicare number. These calls are attempts to steal your information and potentially bill Medicare for services that were never provided.

4. Health Services or Equipment Scams
   You might receive a call from someone claiming that Medicare will cover medical equipment, testing kits, or wellness services at no cost to you. They may ask for your Medicare number or other personal details to send these items, but in reality, the items may be unnecessary or may never arrive. Scammers bill Medicare for these services or products, leaving you vulnerable to fraudulent charges.

How to Avoid Falling Victim to Medicare Insurance Scams

While Medicare scams can be frightening, there are steps you can take to protect yourself and your loved ones from becoming a victim. Here are some key tips to avoid Medicare insurance scams:

1. Be Skeptical of Unsolicited Calls
   If you receive a call out of the blue from someone claiming to be from Medicare or Senior Benefit Solutions, be cautious. Legitimate Medicare representatives will never call you to ask for personal information like your Medicare or Social Security number. If you’re unsure, hang up and call Senior Benefit Solutions directly at 727-906-2012, or call the official Medicare number (1-800-MEDICARE).

2. Don’t Share Personal Information Over the Phone
   Medicare, or any legitimate insurance provider like Senior Benefit Solutions, will not ask for personal information like your Medicare number or bank account details over the phone. If a caller requests this information, it’s likely a scam. Always protect your personal information and never give it out unless you’ve initiated the call and trust the company you’re speaking with.

3. Watch for Spoofed Numbers
   As mentioned earlier, scammers can spoof legitimate phone numbers, making it look like they are calling from a local company, like ours. Just because a caller ID shows a familiar number does not mean it’s a legitimate call. If you receive an unexpected or excessive calls from Senior Benefit Solutions, hang up and call the company directly using the number on their official website or on your billing statement. If you notice an excessive number of calls from Senior Benefit Solutions in your caller history, call us directly at 727-906-2012 so we can help clear things up.

4. Use Call Blocking Features
   Many phone providers offer call-blocking services that can help reduce the number of spam and scam calls you receive. You can also register your phone number with the National Do Not Call Registry to limit unwanted telemarketing calls. While this won’t stop all scam calls, it can help reduce the number you receive.

5. Report Suspicious Calls
   If you receive a scam call, report it to Medicare (1-800-MEDICARE) or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-FTC-HELP. Reporting these calls can help authorities track down and stop scammers from targeting others.

How We Are Protecting Our Customers

At Senior Benefit Solutions, we take the security and privacy of our customers seriously. We are working diligently to address the issue of phone number spoofing and are collaborating with local authorities to investigate the situation. We also want to assure you that we never solicit personal information over the phone, and any official communication from our company will be through secure and trusted channels.

Finally, we don't pester potential clients. It's just bad business to do that. We're smarter than that, and we hold potential clients in high regard and with the utmost respect.

By staying vigilant and knowing the signs of Medicare scams, you can protect yourself and your loved ones from fraud. If you have any questions or concerns about your Medicare coverage or suspect that you’ve been targeted by a scam, please don’t hesitate to contact Senior Benefit Solutions directly at 727-906-2012.

Not connected with or endorsed by the US government or the federal Medicare program. This is an advertisement. We do not offer every plan available in your area. In sharing your contact information with Senior Benefit Solutions, you may be contacted by email, phone or SMS messaging by Senior Benefit Solutions, FL License #L124307, which is appointed with 7 carriers offering 41 products in your area. You can stop us from messaging you at any time. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your plan options.