Off Topic - Beware Scammers

[Giulia]

Phone just rang.  "Hello?"  Pause.  "Hello is this Mrs. Bri....? " (pronounced the name wrong).  My antenna is on alert.  "Yes."  Pause.  He asked another question to which I answer a terse "yes."  "I'm calling from Medicare."  Antenna is vibrating now.  He  then said something about my having arthritis.  My brain is sending LOUD warning signals.  It's odd because I just had some xrays taken and found out two days ago that I have severe arthritis.  Coincidence?  Whatever the case it was disturbing.  Brain is churning.  Why would Medicare have that info?  Why would they be calling?  I think for a minute and then say:  "I've never knows Medicare to call."  That's when he hung up.

Then I realized I might have already blown it because I said "Yes."  Which means they might have taped my voice.  That recorded "yes" response can get hackers into accounts over the telephone.

I'm still very disturbed about this "coincidence" of having just been diagnosed with arthritis and this call.  Logic dictates that they might have hacked into the Medicare files and that a lot of people on Medicare have arthritis, so it may have no real connection to my recent xray diagnosis.  However I do have a patient portal set up with the diagnostic place.  And I did log into it to view my xrays.  Disturbing.

Word to the wise.  What your backs - not only with this addiction.

[YoungAtHeart]

Done!

Thanks!

P.S.  Sorry about the arthritis!  I am starting to wonder about the advice given to us over the years to exercise vigorously starting in early adulthood.l  I swear that advice has disallowed our being well enough later in life to be able to do it when we NEED to.  I actually don't believe our bodies were built to maintain that level of physicality now that we are living to our 70's, 80's and 90's!  jmho

[Giulia]

I'm thinking I'm agreeing with you.  Except SOME do manage to maintain that level of physicality in their 70s at least.

Thanks for the hug, Diane Joy.  indingrl‌

[indingrl]

Thank you so much for warning ❤ so sorry this has happened to YOU - gentle hug.

[sweetplt]

Giulia Thank you for sharing...I hate these scammers...my girlfriends husband died a few months back and she got scammed...they got her name and information due to her husband’s death.  The Detective told her this happens so often...they got her husbands credit card numbers and tried to use it before the bank closed due to his death.  Often they target older people ... hoping they will slip up and give information...glad you knew something wasn’t right...Bravo G...~ Colleen 192 DOF 

[Giulia]

Hadn't heard about that kind of scam before.  Wow.  That's really LOW.  

[marciem]

now you know why I *never* answer either of my phones (landline or cell) that has "name unknown" or a name I don't know with an unfamiliar number.  I have answerphones set up in both locations, if it is somebody I need to hear from or is something important, I have to assume that they will leave a message.  The scammers & spammers almost NEVER do that.  Every call I've missed that has been honest has left a message.  Sometimes the robocall spammers leave messages, which get deleted before I hear their spiel.

The real irritating ones to me are the ones who have somehow spoofed my local prefix, which is very specific to my neighborhood.  I used to be concerned that a neighbor was calling to tell me that my cat was in their yard or my house was on fire.  After a couple of those, I don't even answer.  Neighbors will leave a message.

Thanks for the good advice, Giulia !!  It is very scary that *someone* got the information of your arthritis diagnosis (so sorry...gentle hug)  almost before you did for goodness sakes!   

Have we all learned by now that the IRS doesn't call at all, esp. with threats of legal action/incarceration if we don't contact them back immediately?   .  I have never heard from Medicare by phone, I get email notifications, but I assume Mcare doesn't call either.

[shashort]

Sorry about your arthritis diagnosis.  Hope that was a coincidence thing. That is scary to think someone knew your diagnosis almost before you.  I am glad your red flag alarm went on.  I get a spammer that says medicare understands my backache and offer a brace.  I told lady that funny I didn't have back problems and she hung up on me. lol.  It is a shame you can't trust to many people.

[Giulia]

So you had a similar experience.  And learned it your own way.  Uh huh.  Keep spreading the news.  The more people we can enlighten about these scammers the better.  How sad that we need to do so.  

[Legend]

Thanks for the heads up on that.

Do you have the remote access unchecked so hackers can’t get remote control of your computer?