LIVING WELL

Protecting Yourself Against Medicare Fraud

AgeWays Nonprofit Senior Services | July 2022

According to a 2023 report from the University of Michigan Poll on Healthy Aging, 69% of Michigan residents aged 50-80 reported experiencing an attempted scam. That’s a big number. It’s clear that older adults are a frequent target.

Scammers operate using the phone, email, text, websites, and even showing up at your doorstep with home improvement offers that are “too good to miss.” Schemes are often clever and new tactics and tricks pop up frequently.

All of this seems overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. You CAN protect yourself by learning some basic rules and arming yourself with information.  We’ve gathered some tips and resources to help older adults spot and avoid scams.

Adopt behaviors that can help you avoid scams

Some basic rules can help keep you safe:

1) Don’t Answer: Don’t answer calls from unfamiliar numbers. If it’s important, they will leave a message. Also, avoid answering the door for people you’re not familiar with.

2) Don’t Share: Don’t give sensitive info over the phone (bank numbers, Social Security or Medicare number) unless YOU initiated the interaction.

3)  Slow Down: Be wary of urgent requests or requests with unusual forms of payment (wire transfers, gift cards, or contractors who insist on cash).

4) Stay Informed: Use the resources below to familiarize yourself with general types of scams and also the specific scams that are currently circulating.

What should you do if you’ve been a victim of a scam or fraud?

If you think you’ve been scammed or defrauded:

• Tell someone you trust: Inform someone in your trusted circle who may be able to help.
• Make a report with your local police department.
• Work to stop any payments and recover your money. Contact your credit card company, bank, wire transfer company, or company that issued any gift cards that were used.
• File a complaint with the Michigan Department of Attorney General. You can use their online form or call (877) 765-8388. You can also file a report with the Federal Trade Commission.

Resources

We’ve gathered some resources to help you stay up to date.

The Michigan Attorney General’s Office

• Stay informed by:
  • Visiting their page dedicated to current scams
  • Signing up for their electronic newsletter
  • Using their tipsheet on home improvement scams
• You can file a complaint with the Attorney General’s office if you think you’ve been a victim. You can also call (877) 765-8388.

AARP

• AARP has a web resource dedicated to scams and fraud for older adults.
• They also have a scam hotline that help if you have experienced fraud or been the victim of a scam: (877) 908- 3360. You don’t have to be a member to call.

Wayne State University Institute of Gerontology Successful Aging through Financial Empowerment (SAFE)

• The SAFE program provides financial education to both older adults and caregivers and can help older adults recover from fraud and scams. Their First Fridays webinars cover a variety of topics.
• Take their Financial Vulnerability Survey to better understand your risk.

The U.S. Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative

• See a list of current scams gathered from around the world.
• If you think you’ve been victimized, you can call their National Elder Fraud Hotline at (833) 372-8311.

The Federal Trade Commission

• The Avoiding and Reporting Scams page of the FTC website lets you access to information on the latest scams.
• The FTC website also offer specific advice on avoiding home improvement scams.
• It also offers guidance on What to Do if You Were Scammed.
• The site also walks you through reporting a scam to the FTC.

The National Councial on Aging

• NCOA offers general advice on avoiding scams along with current scams.