COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Several viewers have contacted News5 about receiving constant calls from Medicare impostors during the current open enrollment period.
The yearly Medicare open enrollment period is from October 15 to December 7. Robert Graham of Colorado Springs says the number of calls he receives from people pretending to be representatives of Medicare have noticeably increased this month.
"I think you guys are a bunch of cons is what I think, and I'm not going to give you any information at all," Graham told one caller.
They offered him help for this year's open enrollment period, but he had already mailed in his Medicare paperwork.
"She says, 'My name is Wendy and I would like to discuss the changes in Medicaid and Medicare,'" said Graham. "They're really not there to do that at all. They're there to take what they can."
He has not called any Medicare offices and he said didn't understand why he's getting five to six calls about it every day.
RELATED | Colorado robocalls surge as some carriers skip required fraud protection, report finds
"On a daily basis, we get calls from our beneficiaries saying 'Hey, I got scammed,'" a representative with the Colorado Senior Medicare Patrol told News5.
A Medicare representative will never call you unless you have called them first, according to the Colorado Senior Medicare Patrol.
The patrol group says these are other red flags to look out for, which include the following:
- someone calling you saying, "I'm from Medicare"
- someone saying "Let me verify your information"
- if the person doesn't say the name of the company they work for
"If you don't have any prior business with them, it's okay to hang up on them," said Brandon Davis, Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies Director of Senior Health.
Graham discovered the impostors were imitating phone numbers of legitimate businesses to hide their identity, otherwise known as spoofing.
"I have called numbers back and the person will say, 'Well, I didn't make that phone call. I haven't called you.' So, I know they're spoofing people's numbers," said Graham.
Graham doesn't have a cell phone or a computer, so he plans to continue answering his landline because that's how he communicates with his family.
"When [the caller ID] said U.S. Army, I expected it to be the U.S. Army because I have a grandson in the Army," said Graham. "I'd just like to see somebody do something about it."
If you need help understanding what plan to choose for Medicare open enrollment, call the National Medicare number at (800)633-4227. Representative are available 24/7.
You're also encouraged to report any fraudulent experiences to Medicare by calling the number above.
Hang up and call the official Medicare number if you're ever suspicious about the person on the other end of the phone.
RELEVANT | Medicare open enrollment scams during coverage period
This article was written by KOAA News5 Consumer Reporter Kierra Sam. Have a story? Send an email to kierra.sam@koaa.com.
___
Invasive insect spreading across Front Range; how Colorado Springs is preparing
The city has a plan to keep a specific invasive insect out of Colorado Springs. The bug is called the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB).
____
Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.
