Special Reports & Tweets - 20130924_SpecialReport-2_Alex
Aired: 2013-09-24
Duration: 02:50


=== Obamacare Scams Alert (02:22) ===

[00:00:00]  The deadline for Obamacare is upon us, and it's not just insurance companies that are
[00:00:10]  hoping to line their pockets with higher premiums.
[00:00:13]  Con artists are looking to cash in on the confusion surrounding the law.
[00:00:18]  The health insurance marketplace was set up by the Affordable Care Act as a new way to find health care coverage by comparing rates and plans online.
[00:00:26]  But 17 states opted to manage their own unique exchange with a different URL, and this could cause confusion for consumers.
[00:00:33]  While shopping for coverage, you may run into one of the many fake exchanges that are already up and running on the internet.
[00:00:39]  Scam artists got an early jump on national health care reform.
[00:00:42]  Since last year, they've been calling, faxing, and emailing people across the country claiming to be with Medicare, Obamacare, or some agency of the federal government.
[00:00:51]  Oftentimes, the caller will say they need to verify personal information, like a social security number or bank account.
[00:00:57]  Sometimes, callers will convince victims that they need to buy an insurance card for eligibility.
[00:01:02]  A sucker is born every minute, as they say, so don't be one of them.
[00:01:05]  Here's how you can protect yourself.
[00:01:07]  The health insurance marketplace doesn't open until October 1st.
[00:01:11]  You can't buy coverage until then.
[00:01:13]  Don't trust anyone promising a special price or a limited time offer, or to hurry because spots are limited.
[00:01:19]  The rates in the exchange have been pre-approved and they won't change during the initial enrollment period of October 1st to March 31st, 2014.
[00:01:26]  There is no card associated with health care reform.
[00:01:31]  There is no new Medicare card and you do not have to update any personal information.
[00:01:36]  Don't respond to a cold call of any kind, especially one that asks for personal information or money.
[00:01:42]  Now, seniors can be the most susceptible to these fraudsters and their intimidating tactics, but even the most savvy among us can fall a victim to a con artist posing as a navigator.
[00:01:52]  Under Obamacare, navigators are trained to guide through the process of finding coverage through the exchanges, and they will ask for personal information.
[00:02:00]  There may be the opportunity for con artists posing as navigators to access this information, Or, actual navigators might ask you for more personal information than they need to recommend a plan.

=== Identity Thieves Attracted (00:42) ===

[00:02:11]  After all, we are dealing with a government-run program that's going to be sharing your information with the IRS.
[00:02:17]  As part of this navigator program, some non-profit groups plan to make door-to-door outreach.
[00:02:22]  Because of the time constraints placed on the program, the Department of Health and Human Services will not be doing background checks on navigator applicants.
[00:02:30]  This is a shocking revelation that could attract many identity thieves to the position.
[00:02:35]  The odds are already against you when you hand over your personal information to a solicitor that shows up at your doorstep, especially when they're from the government and they're here to help.
[00:02:45]  So it's up to you to be a savvy shopper and protect your personal information.