Seniors have enough to worry about, and they can be unfamiliar with new technology and how easy it is to fall for a scam. This new cancer screening scam is just one of those scams and can end up costing big.
How the Cancer Screening Scam Works
This scam was reported on in Clarkston, Washington. Eighty-two year old Yvonne Lyon heard a knock on her door. It was a young man offering brochures detailing genetic screenings for cancer prevention, a noble cause if there ever was one. Yvonne does not have cancer, and neither does it run in her family. Nonetheless, she thought it would be prudent to get tested, as many people would.
The young man was invited in and told her the test only involved a few swabs of the cheek. Yvonne would not be charged any cost, as her Medicare card allegedly covered the expense. He just needed her to let him get a copy of it. Fortunately, her card did not have her Social Security Number on it, even though many do. However, the Medicare card still contained crucial information, which can be used to steal seniors’ money.
Recently, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as well as with the Federal Trade Commission have issued fraud alerts about these types of scams. They involve scammers who target Medicare recipients using telemarketing calls, Facebook ads, Craigslist, booths at public events, and even door-to-door visits to push these types of DNA testing. Some targets are even told their benefits will be cut if they don’t take the test. The scammer’s ultimate goal is identity theft or to bill the government out of thousands of dollars for fraudulent tests.
How to Avoid the Cancer Screening Scam
The scammers usually sell the test by telling you it is a free way to get early diagnoses for diseases like cancer and other devastating diseases. Knowing you are prone to it can help you prevent it. And after all, it’s a free, harmless test, so why not? Here’s why: There is currently no such program being run by Medicare.
Here are a few simple ways to avoid this and many similar scams:
- Do not let strangers into your house, no matter how friendly they seem or how worthy the cause. Don’t even open the door. Instead, invite them to leave any literature before they go.
- The same goes for phone calls. If you don’t know them, don’t talk to them. Any questions regarding your Medicare should be from you to them, not the other way around.
- The same goes for emails. Your inbox is probably teeming with spam, junk mail, and scams. Do not respond to any of them or click on any links they contain.
- NEVER give your Medicare card to a stranger. Only medical professionals whose services you seeks should have access to it.
Read more on the story here: Detroit Free Press
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