A Free Public Service

SCAMS BULLETIN Host Jay White is an inactive attorney in San Mateo County, California.

June 18, 2021

SCAMMER BECKY FROM MEDICARE 

Courtesy of AARP

How It Works

               A prerecorded call from “Becky from Medicare” encourages you to press “1” to talk to a representative to learn about “free genetic testing.”

If you interact with “Becky”, she will claim you are eligible for genetic testing to screen for diseases that Medicare will pay for; it’s a scam.

You may be asked for your Medicare number and mailing address to send you a “test kit with instructions.”

What You Should Know

•             Medicare will never call you personally to offer genetic screening or any other test, treatment or device — the program requires a prescription from your doctor for all of these.

•             The ultimate prize for scammers is your Medicare number: Once they have that, they bill Medicare — costing the program billions each year.

•             These charges can also result in Medicare denying you for services you  need later on.

What You Should Do

•             Don’t engage with Becky, or anyone else who claims to be working with or for Medicare offering free access to tests, devices or treatments. Medicare simply doesn’t work this way.

•             Share your Medicare number only with trusted health care providers.

• Calls from out of the blue for free resources from Medicare are only out to deceive you and drain Medicare resources.

•             Review your Medicare summary notices. Make sure the dates and services listed are correct. If something doesn’t look right, call your medical provider’s office.

•             For help determining if something is legitimate, or if you’ve experienced this or another scam, call the free AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 1-877-908-3360.