If you are a member of either Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan or the Blue Care Network, watch for a heads up message from the insurer regarding new phone scams underway over the past month from crooks trying to get your personal or health insurance information.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network warns members, “Do not provide your personal information or respond to any phone prompts from a caller requesting those details. If you receive a call asking for your personal information and health insurance ID number, hang up immediately.”
The Blues report that since mid-December 2020, many of their members have reported receiving calls in which people attempt to obtain that vital information. The fraudulent callers claim they are from a pharmacy network representing Blue Cross or another health plan, and then they offer to mail over-the-counter vitamins, medicine and ointments to your home at no cost.
Those phone calls are not part of a Blue Cross or BCN program. They appear to be malicious or fraudulent attempts to gain personal information or health insurance ID numbers to bill for high-cost medication and supplies. The insurer warns, “We do not share medical or prescription information with unauthorized third parties, and there was no breech of our confidential data. Members of other health plans are also receiving these calls.”
Blue Cross is working with the FBI and Michigan Attorney General’s office to investigate the calls and their source.
The callers may have your name, address and even date of birth but are trying to get your Blue Cross ID or contract number and primary care doctor’s name. They’re offering free over-the-counter medications, including:
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin B-12
- Probiotics
- Heart burn relievers
- Skin rash creams
- Antibiotic ointment
- Cough medicine
- Pain medicine like ibuprofen and acetaminophen
- Scar cream
- Cold sore ointment
- Anti-fungal creams for nails or athletes’ foot
- Pain creams
Members should ask their health care providers if they have any questions about medications or medical supplies.
You can report suspicious calls to a fraud hotline at 1-844-STOP-FWA (786-7392).
