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State agencies urge caution on Medicare scams and offer local help
Summary
The South Carolina Department on Aging’s Senior Medicare Patrol and the Department of Consumer Affairs advised beneficiaries not to share Medicare numbers, to report misleading marketing, and to use SHIP/SMP or the DCA identity theft unit for help.
State officials used the webinar to warn beneficiaries about Medicare‑related scams and to explain how to report misleading marketing and obtain help locally.
Crystal Strong of the South Carolina Department on Aging described the Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) as the outreach arm that helps beneficiaries prevent, detect, and report Medicare fraud, errors, and abuse. "We empower and assist Medicare beneficiaries, their families, caregivers to prevent, detect, and report health care fraud, errors, and abuse," Strong said, and she urged attendees to review Medicare Summary Notices closely and report anything suspicious.
Key consumer warnings: Strong said beneficiaries should not provide Medicare numbers, doctor information, or other personal identifiers to unsolicited callers and noted that federal agencies such as Medicare and Social Security generally do not initiate calls to request personal information. "If someone calls you claiming you're gonna get a new plastic card, that is not true," she said, adding that Medicare's new cards were mailed years earlier and there is no new universal plastic or 'black' card being issued now.
How to report and where to find help: the webinar host from the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs reminded listeners about the DCA identity theft unit for victims of scams and identity theft and pointed to the department's scam‑prevention guide at consumer.sc.gov. The host also announced a department shred event on Dec. 2 in Columbia (Greystone Boulevard) to help residents dispose of sensitive documents safely; the event will raise donations for Harvest Hope Foodbank.
Practical steps recommended: hang up on unsolicited callers, do not confirm any personal numbers or account details to unverified callers, report suspected marketing violations (including pressure tactics, gifts in exchange for enrollment, or unsolicited texts/calls), and contact SHIP or the DCA identity theft unit for assistance. Strong also noted that beneficiaries can email marketing violation details to the SMP or state program for tracking.
The most recent actionable items from the webinar: contact your local SHIP coordinator or the DCA identity theft unit for help, and attend or use local resources such as the Dec. 2 shred event if you are in the Columbia area.
