Open healthcare enrollment scams continue to rise in Northeast Ohio

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Better Business Bureau Serving Greater Cleveland is warning people to be careful during healthcare enrollment as scammers are constantly looking for ways to take advantage.

According to the BBB, Medicare scammers will market themselves as healthcare plan providers. One instance in North Olmsted saw one woman see massive issues. In a release, the BBB said “She told BBB that “I received a call from someone claiming to be the Department of Medicaid. They asked for my Medicaid ID number and asked for me to verify my address. ...They told me that I owe the Department of Medicaid money from 2017... I contacted the police and (also) contacted Medicaid. they told me they would never call and ask for personal information or money.”

So what should you do to avoid these scams? Here is a list of suggestions from the BBB:

• Be wary of anyone who contacts you unsolicited.
• Guard your government-issued numbers.
• Utilize official websites.
• Decline promotional gifts in exchange for personal information.

For more tips from BBB on avoiding healthcare scams, check BBB.org/HealthCareScam. If you’ve been the victim of a scam, please report it to BBB.org/ScamTracker. By sharing your experience, you can help others avoid falling victim to similar scams.

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