Medicare Scam Alert In Grand Junction
We have another phone scam to report that's happening in Mesa County.
The Mesa County Sheriff's Office is warning residents of a medicare scam that is making the rounds in the community.
A caller will say they are with Medicare and ask if you've received your new card. When you say 'no' the caller will ask for personal information, saying you need a new card because of COVID-19. These scammers can be extremely crafty and may not ask for your number, but simply ask you to "confirm" your number. Don't fall for it.
The people that engage in these types of schemes are usually pretty smooth. They are professionals and they can sound extremely convincing and very credible. Believe it or not, there are people that are taken by scams like this all the time.
The sheriff's office says this is without a doubt a scam and they remind residents to never give out personal information to strangers over the phone, including a Medicare number. If you have an elderly parent you should continually caution them about these types of phone calls and explain how these things work. The video above does a great job of explaining how these scams often work.
If you should get a call like this and you suspect it is fraudulent, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). It's probably a good idea to report the call to local authorities as well.