Minnesotans shopping for health insurance, be on guard for scams
MINNEAPOLIS — If you're shopping for health insurance, you could be a target for a scam. Industry leaders say it's the aftermath of what they call "Medicaid unwinding."
"There wasn't a lot of churn in the individual health insurance market for the last couple of years during the public health emergency," MNsure CEO Libby Caulum said. "Now that those folks are looking for new coverage, I think scammers are unfortunately seeing an opportunity."
Caulum says criminals are seizing that opportunity by targeting Minnesotans who submitted their Medical Assistance or Medicaid renewal paperwork, found out they don't qualify for the program, and need to find new health insurance.
"It's heartbreaking," she said. "I mean, you think about people are just out there trying to get health insurance. And we know how important it is to stay covered for your physical and mental well-being. And then, you know, for somebody to take advantage of you during that time, it's just terrible."
It's why the Better Business Bureau says the best line of defense is to stop communication completely.
"Be cautious of any people who are trying to get ahold of you, that you didn't opt in for a phone call or opt-in for a conversation, or certainly have never even heard of," BBB spokesperson Bao Vang said.
How to spot a scam
Be on the lookout for unsolicited calls, especially if the caller is asking for personal information, like a credit card or Social Security number. MNsure will never cold call to try and sell health insurance or give your phone number to a broker without your prior permission. MNsure will never call and ask for a Social Security number, credit card or bank account number.
"They might also seem very desperate to keep you on the phone and keep the conversation going so they can try and take information from you," Vang said.
No legitimate insurance company will ask for payment immediately or threaten you.
"Another real red flag is if that person starts to threaten you, things like 'if you don't act today we're going to call the police.' Or 'if you don't act today, we're going to find you,'" Vang said.
Stay scam savvy
It's OK to ask a caller questions and verify the information they give you. The BBB encourages everyone to have a script ready.
"Who are you? What's your business? And once you know that information, you can say, 'I'm going to hang up, I'm going to pause, I'm going to give the business that you're sitting here representing a call, and I'm going to verify your information. And if I want to continue this call, then I will give you a callback or the company back,'" Vang said. "That's a way to empower you to have language that's ready and available to you for you to use in case you are dealing with a scammer."
Experts advise blocking numbers or emails that won't leave you alone and double-checking website URLs.
Lastly, if you think you've fallen victim to a scam, report it. Report the person's name, organization, contact information, and website used.
MNsure is collecting scam reports through its anonymous complaints telephone line at 844-466-7873. MNsure refers cases to the Minnesota Department of Commerce Enforcement Division, which investigates fraud complaints from consumers.
You can find and report scams online at the Better Business Bureau through the organization's "scam tracker."
"It's a free interactive tool, where you to look up scams that you might have experienced and others in your communities might have experienced. And you become a citizen hero," Vang said. "You are letting other people know when they come and check this tool about your own experience and that can save them the heartbreak and also the financial tollway if they do experience that scam as well."