16 Jul Health Ruling is Prompting Scams

By Elise Viebeck

Source: thehill.com

Federal trade regulators warned Friday that scam artists are using the healthcare law to ask for consumers’ personal information over the phone.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said that the illegal activity began after the Supreme Court ruled on June 28 to uphold the vast majority of the law.

Scam artists “say they’re from the government” and use the Affordable Care Act as a hook to verify information, according to an FTC alert.

“They might have the routing number from your bank, and then use that information to get you to reveal the entire account number,” the alert stated. “Or, they’ll ask for your credit card or Social Security number, Medicare ID, or other personal information.”

Regulators urged consumers not to give out personal or financial information after unsolicited contact from someone who says they are with the government.

“If someone who claims to be from the government calls and asks for your personal information, hang up. It’s a scam,” the alert stated.

Read more at the FTC site.