[ADXA] Medicare scam - Be aware, please

[WB5JJJ]

OK, for us "older" hams (most of us) that are on Medicare.  I just received
a call that my CallerID displayed as being from a number from a nearby
community where I do have friends.  Here are the clues.

Clue #1:  When I said "hello", there was silence.  Figuring it was a scam,
they typically don't get an answer flag on their system until it hears
"hello" or something else for a second time.  I decided to play along and
said "hello" again and that's when the caller picked up.  When he did, he
appeared to be a well-spoken young man.  He asked if this was George and I
said yes, now knowing full well, this was not someone I knew.

Clue #2:  He then asked if I had received my "new Medicare Card" in the
mail the past couple of weeks.  I said "No", knowing full well there was no
need for me to be receiving a new Medicare Care card.  Of course we all
know that our Social Security information was breached earlier this year.
So the scammers are out to get us using that information to get other
critical data they don't have.

Clue #3:  He then proceeded to check my mailing address.  He gave me my OLD
PO Box that's been closed for many months now, but after the breach and
asked if this was correct.  Of course, I said yes it was.  However Medicare
has my new address on file.  This was a big red flag as I know where it was
coming from for sure now.

Clue #4:  He wanted me to verify the date that I went on Medicare.  I gave
him just a false year.  He said OK, but he needed the full date from my
"old" Medicare Card -- you know the red, white and blue one, he said, to
"verify" my information for a new card.  He wanted me to get my Medicare
Care out to verify the date.  Had I stayed on with him, and given him the
date, his next question would probably have been for me to "verify" my
Medicare Card number.  What else does he need?

At this point, I called out his scam and then crickets on his end of the
line, followed by a disconnect.  I hung up and checked the number from my
CallerID, it was "from" Northwest Arkansas, not the nearby community
displayed.  And obviously not the location for that a Medicare office would
be calling from.

Stay safe my friends.

73's
George - WB5JJJ
HoIP - 100105
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