Shopping for Health Coverage? Don’t Let a Scammer Rush You

Key Takeaways

• Health insurance scams often increase around annual enrollment periods.
• Be cautious about unsolicited calls, texts or online advertisements promising special coverage.
• Don’t provide personal or financial information until you’ve verified who you’re dealing with.
• Use official sources to research plans and enrollment options.

Main Article

Annual enrollment season means many people are reviewing health insurance choices for the coming year. It also gives scammers another opportunity to impersonate insurers, government programs or insurance representatives in hopes of obtaining personal information or money.

Be cautious if someone unexpectedly contacts you and pressures you to enroll immediately, claims you’re about to lose coverage or promises a special plan that is available only if you act now. Scammers may also use online advertisements designed to appear in search results when consumers are looking for legitimate insurance information. The FTC recently warned that health insurance scams tend to increase around Open Enrollment.

If you’re researching coverage, start with an official website or a source you already know and trust. Don’t provide a Social Security number, banking information, Medicare number or payment details simply because someone says they’re helping you enroll. If you’re unsure about a call or message, end the conversation and contact the organization independently.

Health coverage can involve important decisions and significant personal information. Give yourself enough time to research your options and verify who you’re dealing with. Legitimate decisions shouldn’t depend on giving a stranger sensitive information under pressure.