Pa. Officials Warn of Scammers Capitalizing on Obamacare Confusion
By David Madden
HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) -- If you're looking to take advantage of Obamacare, be warned that there are people out there who may want to take advantage of you.
Pennsylvania's attorney general is among those warning that as the Affordable Care Act is rolled out for public consumption, some might use it as a way to get your personal information -- either online or over the phone.
Joe Peters, a spokesman for the Pennsylvania attorney general, suggests that you start on the government's official Obamacare web site, healthcare.gov. Going elsewhere, he warns, could be risky.
"Many sites are being created in an illusory way to make you think it's the government or government-related, and they'll list a toll-free number," Peters tells KYW Newsradio. "And just because there's a toll-free number doesn't mean it's the government."
And once you're hooked up with a private insurance provider, he adds, continue to use caution.
Peters warns: never give out any information to someone who contacts you from out of the blue. Chances are, they're not legit.
If you think you've been scammed, you can contact the Pennsylvania attorney general's health care section, toll-free, at 877-888-4877 or go to attorneygeneral.gov . License information on insurance brokers in the state is available by calling 877-881-6388 or online at www.insurance.pa.gov.
