Arizona AG and FTC issue health care scam warning | Health

There is a new scam trying to profit off the Supreme Court decision on the Affordable Care Act.

According to the Arizona Attorney General’s office and the Federal Trade Commission, scammers claiming to work for the U.S. Government are calling people and asking for personal information, over the phone. 

These scammers are claiming that the consumer has to report personal information, like bank routing numbers, credit card information and even Social Security numbers, according to the new Affordable Care Act.

“No sooner had the Supreme Court released its decision on the Obama health care plan than unscrupulous predators started working the phones to try to commit fraud on unsuspecting consumers,” Horne said.  “It is a reminder of how scammers will use any excuse to try to cheat people out of their money, and consumers need to have a heightened awareness of this latest scheme.”

Consumers are warned that calls from people claiming to work for the federal government and asking for this type of information are not legitimate.

“No government program, including the Obama health care plan, requires consumers to give personal information over the phone,” Horne added.  “In fact, if you receive a call like this you should hang up immediately because it is a scam.”

People who think that they may have been the victim of such a ‘scam’ or those who would like to report consumer fraud, may file a consumer complaint with the Attorney General’s office.  To file online please visit: www.azag.gov/consumer/complaintform.html.