![\"Scam](\"https:\/\/www.thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/Scam-artwork-8-2013.jpg\")
<\/a>Consumers also have reported Medicare card scams, in which callers claim to represent Medicare and say the consumer needs a new Medicare card. The caller asks for the consumer\u2019s bank account information or Social Security number to process and fulfill the new card. In reality, the caller does not represent Medicare.<\/p>\nScammers often try to take advantage of what’s in the news, and with the upcoming health care changes involving the Affordable Care Act, these kinds of scams may become more common.<\/p>\n
Attorney General DeWine offers consumers the following tips to protect themselves:<\/p>\n
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- Don\u2019t give out personal information over the phone.<\/li>\n
- Don\u2019t respond to suspicious calls. Even if the caller says you can press a button to opt out, don\u2019t follow the instructions. By pressing a button, you indicate that you have an active phone number, which may lead to more calls.<\/li>\n
- Don\u2019t trust a telephone\u2019s caller ID. Scammers often \u201cspoof\u201d the number that appears on one\u2019s caller ID so that a call appearing to be from a local area code phone number may be coming from another state or another country.<\/li>\n
- Be careful any time someone offers something for \u201cfree\u201d, but requests personal information. Once they get a credit card number or bank account information, they could charge purchases or make withdrawals from those accounts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
For those who get a call with a recorded sales message and haven’t given the company their written permission to call, the call is in violation of Do Not Call laws and the offer is likely a scam.<\/p>\n
Those Ohioans who gave information to one of these callers should check their account statements. Those who find unexpected charges should ask their bank or credit card company to remove them.<\/p>\n