INDIANAPOLIS — Attorney General Curtis Hill is warning Hoosiers to take precautions in order to avoid becoming victims of Medicare-related scams.

The open-enrollment period for Medicare coverage in 2020 is Oct. 15, 2019, to Dec. 7, 2019.

Hill’s office gave recommendations to avoid scams this open-enrollment season:

• Government agencies will rarely if ever, call someone. If they do, it will be after they send you a letter – or to return a call made to them, said a news release from the Indiana Attorney General’s Office.

• Anyone who tries to sell Medicare insurance while claiming to be an “official Medicare agent” is a scammer. There are no Medicare sales representatives.

• Be vigilant for mailers that appear to be government communications but are actually advertisements for private companies. These documents sometimes will have a disclaimer, but the disclaimer will be in a tiny font. Read carefully, said the news release!

• The Medicare prescription drug plan (also known as Part D) is voluntary. Ignore anyone who calls saying they must join their prescription plan or they will lose your Medicare coverage.

• Never give anyone who unexpectedly calls or approaches someone’s information such as Medicare, bank account, credit card or Social Security numbers. Scammers can use your information, steal your identity, get credit in someone’s name, and take their money. Anyone who tells anyone that they must provide personal information to keep their coverage is a scammer.

• Don’t trust caller ID. Scammers use technology to hide their real numbers and instead show numbers that seem legitimate. If the caller ID shows a 202 area code or says “government” or “Washington DC,” don’t take that at face value. It could be anyone calling from anywhere.

Anyone who needs help with Medicare can call 1-800-MEDICARE or go to https://www.medicare.gov/.

When receiving scam calls, hang up and report the call.

Report Medicare impostors at 1-800-MEDICARE or go to Ftc.gov/complaint.

As always, consumers who believe they are the victims of scam attempts are also asked to report them to the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division by calling 1-800-382-5516 or going online at www.in.gov/attorneygeneral and clicking the “File a Complaint” box at the bottom of the page.