Medicare Open Enrollment: Avoid Fake Plans and Unexpected Sales Calls
Use PAUSE to avoid misleading Medicare plan calls and protect your Medicare number during Open Enrollment.
Category
All articles in
Military Funeral Honors Are Free: Don't Pay a Caller's “Insurance” Fee
Scammers threaten to cancel a veteran's military funeral honors unless the family pays. Hang up and verify arrangements with your funeral director.
A ChatGPT “Verification” Asking You to Run a Command? Stop
Scammers are using convincing ChatGPT pages and fake verification screens to trick people into installing malware. Close the page if it asks you to paste a command into Windows.
Someone Telling You What to Say to Your Bank? Stop the Transfer
A caller who coaches your answers to a bank or broker may be steering you around fraud safeguards. Stop and speak privately with your financial institution.
Check Your Medicare Statement for Equipment You Never Received
Unexpected medical equipment on your Medicare statement may be fraud. Here is how to review the charge and report it safely.
If Someone Offers to “Protect” Your Money by Moving It, Hang Up
Scammers posing as bank or government employees may tell you to move your savings to keep it safe. Hang up and call your bank directly using a trusted number.
Paying a Bill Online? The First Search Result May Be an Impostor
The FTC warns that paid search ads can look like a company's official payment page while sending you to an unrelated service that may charge surprise fees. Use a trusted bill, statement, bookmark, or typed web address instead.
If a Caller Says You Won a Lottery But Must Pay Fees First, Hang Up
A July 22 Justice Department case is a fresh reminder of an old scam: criminals call older adults claiming they won a lottery, then demand taxes or fees before the prize can be released. Real prizes do not work that way.
FBI Warning: Fake IC3 Helpers Are Using Deepfake Videos and Spoofed Websites
The FBI says scammers are pretending to be the IC3 and FBI personnel to trick past victims into losing even more money. Some are using AI-made videos and fake websites that look official.
If They Insist on Gift Cards, Crypto, or a Bank Transfer, It Is a Scam
The FTC says the fastest way to spot many scams is to notice how someone demands payment. If they push gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, payment apps, or bank transfers, stop right there.
If You Get a Data Breach Notice This Week, Do These Three Things First
A new South Carolina consumer warning says more than 1.1 million residents were affected by reported security breaches in the first half of 2026. The message is broader than one state: if a breach notice shows up in your mailbox or inbox, move quickly instead of setting it aside.
If a Postcard Promises "Extra VA Benefits," Do Not Call the Number on It
VA says scammers are mailing fake "Veterans Savings Program" postcards that promise extra benefits or payments, then pushing people to call and hand over private information. If you or your spouse receives one, treat it like a phishing attack on paper.