CLEVELAND — Health insurance open enrollment is underway, and many consumers are facing premium increases of hundreds or even thousands of dollars. The Better Business Bureau is warning about unsolicited offers claiming to save money on coverage.
"People are at a heightened sense of concern and scammers are just trying to take advantage of that," said Ericka Dilworth, vice president of operations at the Better Business Bureau Serving Greater Cleveland.
Dilworth told Good Morning Cleveland anchor Mike Brookbank that criminals use deceptive tactics to steal personal information or enroll beneficiaries into unauthorized plans.
"You just have to be so very careful who you're talking to on the phone, what kind of emails you get, texts you may get and confirm people's identity," Dilworth said. "You just cannot trust what you see on your caller ID or what the text may say or what the email may say."
The BBB recommends never giving your Medicaid, Medicare or Social Security number to anyone you don't know. Consumers should also avoid clicking on links in suspicious messages. Go directly to your health insurance website or call the number on your health insurance card.
