Scammers target Ohio Medicare recipients

COLUMBUS — Over the past several weeks, the Ohio Attorney General's office has seen an influx of complaints against scammers who make reference to the Medicare program in a ploy to get consumer information.

Attorney General Richard Cordray today warned Ohioans to be wary of unsolicited phone calls from "Medicare" seeking personal information.

"We have received notice from 28 Ohioans who were contacted by someone identifying themselves as a Medicare representative," said Cordray. "All of the calls came from the phone number (866) 234-2255 and, in each, the caller requested personal information including bank account numbers."

Cordray said this Medicare scam targeted consumers from locations across the state, including Warren, Akron, Canton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Coshocton, Fairfield, Lima, Lisbon, Mansfield and Stow.

The callers claimed that they needed consumers' bank account information to issue a new benefits card and threatened to terminate the consumers' benefits if they did not provide that information.

Cordray reminds Ohioans to never give personal information, such as Social Security or bank account numbers, to anyone you don't know.