Don’t fall for latest health exchange scams

The New Mexico Health Insurance Exchange has been dragged into the crush of this year’s tax scams, so be on the lookout for scam calls from purported beWellnm representatives.

The bogus callers are trying to get personal information while taking advantage of this winter’s tax prep season, the insurance exchange says.

Legitimate insurance agents will never call customers and ask them to text or email bank or credit card information or their social security number, the exchange says.

Those who received insurance through the exchange last year must file a 1095-A — Health Insurance Marketplace Statement — for their tax return.

“Scammers know this and think they can take advantage of it, but we’re here to protect consumers…” the exchange’s chief executive officer, Bruce Gilbert, said in a written statement.

BeWellnm offers free help with the form sent to the customers. The exchange call center can be reached at 1-833-862-3935.

Be careful with friendly texts

A man from Albuquerque was the target of some friendly text messages that are likely the work of robot outsiders.

He’s not alone. The frequency of unsolicited text messages has increased dramatically, according to the Federal Communications Commission, possibly because it can be more difficult to identify a fake text message than a fake email.

The first text message the Albuquerque man received read: “This number has been on my phone for a long time but there is no name. Can you tell me your name?”

A few days later he got this message: “Hello! all is well?”

As the man put it, “It’s a clever trick. Simple and very difficult not to be curious.” Had he responded to either text, the sender would likely have attempted to obtain personal or financial information. At the very least, a reply text would have shown the scammers that it was a “live number” ripe for further scam efforts.

According to the FCC, the number of complaints about unwanted SMS has increased from 5,700 in 2019 to 15,300 in 2021 to 8,500 in the first half of 2022.

“Texts may contain false but credible claims about unpaid bills, package delivery breakdowns, bank account problems, or law enforcement actions against you,” the FCC says. “They may provide confusing information — like texting someone else — use incomplete information, or other techniques to stimulate your curiosity and engagement.”

For example, the Better Business Bureau has reported that scam bots send fake “fake number” texts “to lure victims into conversations and fall for a scam.”

Some people have received messages that they have previously met on a dating site asking if they would like to meet up… are you free?

If you respond with a polite “sorry, wrong number,” the stranger will ignore your response, send you a few compliments and maybe a few photos, and then try to sign you up on a supposed website and try to get your credit card number, says the BBB.

Some hints:

• Question the motives behind solicited and unsolicited messages. If you get a text message from someone you don’t know, don’t reply.
• Unsolicited messages that look like they’re coming from a chatbot or that ask you to click links are most likely unsafe. Block these numbers to prevent scammers from using them to contact you again.
• Never give out your personal information to strangers.

Contact Ellen Marks at [email protected] or 505-823-3972 if you are aware of what sounds like a scam. To report fraud to law enforcement, call the New Mexico Consumer Protection Division toll-free at 1-844-255-9210, prompt 5.