3 To Know · 1 · MEDICARE
Scammers and dishonest businesses sometimes pay to appear at the top of online search results for Medicare, the Federal Trade Commission warns. The agency says these scams pick up during Medicare Open Enrollment, which runs through Dec. 7. The paid ads use web addresses that look like government sites, plus official-looking logos.
Using the link or phone number in such an ad can lead to paying for a plan that is not real health insurance, or to medical identity theft, the agency said.
Type Medicare.gov yourself or call 1-800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227), and skip search results labeled "Ad" or "Sponsored," as the Federal Trade Commission advises.