Medicare scam hits Virginia residents

WASHINGTON – It’s the time of year when seniors are being asked to reevaluate Medicare and drug program plans.

The crooks have picked up on this and are now targeting some seniors, calling and threatening to have benefits cut-off if they don’t provide information such as bank account numbers.

Brian Gottstein, a spokesman for Virginia’s Attorney General, says the scam has turned up in several parts of the state.

“When somebody calls you and they ask for all of this information – your financial information, your personal information – don’t give it to them,” Gottstein says.

Anyone who gets such a call should hang-up and then call his or her Medicare contact number to report it. Gottstein also recommends for Medicare recipients to frequently check their accounts.

WTOP’s Hank Silverberg contributed to this report. Follow @WTOP on Twitter.

(Copyright 2013 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

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