ALBANY, N.Y., April 17, 2024 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The New York StateWide Senior Action Council (StateWide), an organization dedicated to advocacy for the rights of seniors in New York State, today announced its Medicare Fraud of the Month for April: Altering Seniors’ Caller IDs.

The StateWide Fraud of the Month is a component of the Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP), the definitive resource for New York State’s senior citizens and caregivers to detect, prevent, and report healthcare fraud, errors, and abuse. StateWide is New York’s grantee/administrator for this Federal Program.

“Scammers are spoofing your caller ID to appear as Medicare, Social Security, or your doctor’s office. They want to verify a person’s information to steal your Medical Identity,” explained Maria Alvarez, Executive Director of StateWide.

She added, “Medicare will never cold call you or request to verify your information. Also, watch out for Scammers who offer you FREE gifts in exchange for your Medicare number, that’s illegal.”

Alvarez offers the following tips to New York’s Seniors to protect themselves from such fraud:

• If you answer your phone and it’s not who you expected, HANG UP immediately.
• Verify the IDENTITY of callers. Call back using a trusted number to confirm the caller’s legitimacy.
• Never give out PERSONAL information, such as your passwords, Medicare, or Social Security number to an unsolicited caller.
• Do not respond to any questions, especially those that can be answered with “YES” or “NO.”
• Be cautious if you are being PRESSURED for information immediately.
• Always review your Medicare statements. Look for SUSPICIOUS CLAIMS, such as supplies you didn’t receive or services you didn’t request.

To report a suspicious call, or if your personal information or Medicare number has been compromised, call the NYS Senior Medicare Patrol Helpline at 800-333-4374, or visit www.nysenior.org. Our counselors are ready to help!

The NYS SMP and their trained counselors and volunteers help educate Medicare beneficiaries in the fight against health care fraud. It also provides information and educational presentations.

It is estimated that Medicare fraud costs taxpayers over $60 billion dollars nationally per year. To help combat this illicit industry StateWide announced its Fraud of the Month program in 2022 to highlight these scams being perpetrated on the State’s seniors.

SOURCE New York StateWide Senior Action Council, Inc.