Medicare recipients in Iowa are being warned of yet another scam involving the new Medicare prescription drug plan. Long-term care ombudsman Cindy Kadavy says the scheme involves phone calls from someone claiming to need money or account information.
Kadavy says “They’ll offer some very reassuring, very convincing information and it really preys on the fact that individuals are concerned about making the right choice with the Medicare Drug Benefit and avoiding any penalty. So they already have that concern, maybe are a little confused, and here’s a caller who offers to give them one solution that sounds fairly simple.”
That solution is a set fee or access to your bank account. Kadavy says the calls started in mid-2005 when the drug plan was introduced and have increased in recent months. She says “Sometimes the callers have become pretty intimidating, almost abusive, and just to let people know you can hang up. It’s okay. This is not a legitimate call. These are tactics that they’re using to persuade you or intimidate you to give them money. That’s their whole goal is to get money or access to the individuals’ funds.”
Kadavy encourages people to trust their instincts. She says if a caller asks for money, rest assured, it is not legitimate, as Medicare will never ask for money over the phone.