Consumer Alert: Protect Yourself from Health Insurance Scams

Some North Carolinians have noticed that they’ve been enrolled in health insurance through the Health Insurance Marketplace without their knowledge. Often, people are only learning of this enrollment when they file their taxes. If someone other than an insurance company you have selected for your coverage contacts you, be skeptical. Use our tips below to protect yourself from health insurance scams and frauds.

• Get the name of the business and person calling, as well as the address and phone number.
• Verify the person contacting you is from the Marketplace. A Marketplace representative will never threaten you or force you into making any decisions before you are ready. If you feel pressured, hang up.
• Be wary of someone offering you unsolicited free health insurance or a tax refund (whether by phone or in person), even if they say they are from the Marketplace. Health insurance ads on social media or elsewhere that offer you cash, gifts, or other perks, could be a scam. Don’t give out your personal information, such as your banking, credit card, account, or Social Security number in response to these solicitations.
• If you receive an insurance card in the mail that you are not expecting, contact the Marketplace or seek assistance immediately before using the card. Using the insurance could result in tax liability. You can reach the Marketplace at 1-800-318-2596.

If you think you may have been the victim of a scam, contact our office’s Consumer Protection Division at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM or file a complaint online at www.ncdoj.gov/complaint.