SCAM Should I give me birthdate over the phone?

[Delta]

I got into an argument over the phone with someone claiming to be from my drug plan health insurance company (Wellcare) because she wanted me to tell her my birth date. I figure if I initiate the call, then I know who I'm calling. But, if someone calls me, no way. She might have been a scammer. I told her I'd call back, so that I initiated the call, but I'd use the number on my card. She was off the phone for quite a while (she said she needed to talk with her supervisor). When she came back she said my security and privacy were of utmost importance, so I said "thanks" and hung up. I think in the next open enrollment I'll look for a new drug plan insurance. I'm open to suggestions.

Well, the "me" in the thread title should be a "my". Pardon me.

 

[packyderms_wife]

I got into an argument over the phone with someone claiming to be from my drug plan health insurance company (Wellcare) because she wanted me to tell her my birth date. I figure if I initiate the call, then I know who I'm calling. But, if someone calls me, no way. She might have been a scammer. I told her I'd call back, so that I initiated the call, but I'd use the number on my card. She was off the phone for quite a while (she said she needed to talk with her supervisor). When she came back she said my security and privacy were of utmost importance, so I said "thanks" and hung up. I think in the next open enrollment I'll look for a new drug plan insurance. I'm open to suggestions.

Sounds like a scam to me, why did they contact you? Our insurance company contacts us via USPS in the form of a letter.

 

[Dennis Olson]

Give a fake one and see if they catch it. The real folks would say, “that doesn’t match our records,” while a scammer would just accept it.

 

[Delta]

On an unrelated incident, I got a notification of a bill I owed the hospital over their inconvenient-as-hell "patient portal." I talked to one of the financial office clerks, because my records showed I had paid it a year ago. She said to ignore their "patient portal"; if it was important the would send a letter.

 

[Publius]

The entire healthcare industry is doing this and they need your full name and date birth In order to bring up your records.

 

[WalknTrot]

Call your insurance company and find out if it was them. It should pop up on your record if something is missing, and they tried to contact you.

 

[packyderms_wife]

I finally got the local clinic here in town where my lung doctor works... they always tell you your birthdate and address, and I just looked at the woman, grinned and said "sure, that'll work", the look on her face was priceless! Next time I'm in there they asked me for my birthdate and address!

 

[33dInd]

Give a fake one and see if they catch it. The real folks would say, “that doesn’t match our records,” while a scammer would just accept it.

I’ve done that and
Yes it works

 

[Delta]

The entire healthcare industry is doing this and they need your full name and date birth In order to bring up your records.

You are correct. But it is pushing it too far if they are asking for that anonymously. If I am in their office, or have initiated the call, I will comply. If they are going to call me 1) they already have my record in front of them (to get my phone number) 2) they need to ask me to return their call to the number I find in the phone book or online. They can tell me who to ask for. But over the phone, on a call they made, they are a stranger.

 

[33dInd]

I been getting calls from welcare
I haven’t talked with them
They are my prescription provider

 

[WildDaisy]

I got into an argument over the phone with someone claiming to be from my drug plan health insurance company (Wellcare) because she wanted me to tell her my birth date. I figure if I initiate the call, then I know who I'm calling. But, if someone calls me, no way. She might have been a scammer. I told her I'd call back, so that I initiated the call, but I'd use the number on my card. She was off the phone for quite a while (she said she needed to talk with her supervisor). When she came back she said my security and privacy were of utmost importance, so I said "thanks" and hung up. I think in the next open enrollment I'll look for a new drug plan insurance. I'm open to suggestions.

Well, the "me" in the thread title should be a "my". Pardon me.

Rule of thumb:

If you call them, you give it. You know where you are calling and assuming it is data they need. In the case of insurance, they are looking to make sure you arent scamming them and are who you say you are.

If they call you, you dont give them a thing.

 

[Josie]

I've gotten the calls from WellCare also. I wasn't taking them but they were calling a couple of times a day for a week and leaving all kinds of voicemails wanting me to call them back. At this point, I'm beginning to think there may have been some kind of snafu with the automatic bill pay, which I set up on a separate account. Anyway, I called them back and they answered with "Thank you for calling WellCare. Agents are busy at this time but your call is important to us so please stay on the line and we will get to you as soon as possible." Well great! You have sixty seconds to take my call or we are done. It was less than ten seconds. I told the girl that I was returning their numerous calls. She asked for my name and birthdate. I replied, that before I answer, what is this all about. She said it was for a customer satisfaction survey. I replied that I am satisfied with my plan and they can quit calling me and hung up. Haven't heard from them since. Don't know if they had some kind of caller ID or they just got tired of calling me.

 

[Toosh]

My birthday online and to anyone I don't know is 12/25/69. It's fake. You'd be surprised how often I see it where I least expect it. I'm OK with little white lies to strangers when convenient and/or profitable.

 

[nomifyle]

Never give out personal information unless you initiate the call, no matter who they say they are.

 

[amazon]

Anytime your Healthcare provider/system calls you they are REQUIRED to verify you are the correct person with second identifier. They can't share any info if you won't confirm. I do like patient portals and find them helpful for sharing info/labs/instructions safely.

FTR, I do not share my DOB over the phone. If a pt doesn't want to confirm DOB I completely understand.

 

[Intestinal Fortitude]

I got into an argument over the phone with someone claiming to be from my drug plan health insurance company (Wellcare) because she wanted me to tell her my birth date. I figure if I initiate the call, then I know who I'm calling. But, if someone calls me, no way. She might have been a scammer. I told her I'd call back, so that I initiated the call, but I'd use the number on my card. She was off the phone for quite a while (she said she needed to talk with her supervisor). When she came back she said my security and privacy were of utmost importance, so I said "thanks" and hung up. I think in the next open enrollment I'll look for a new drug plan insurance. I'm open to suggestions.

Well, the "me" in the thread title should be a "my". Pardon me.

Do NOT EVER give anyone ANY THING!!!

 

[Texican]

Wellcare called the end of last week and told me that we had scrips that would be ready in two weeks. First time ever for a drug insurance plan to call us about picking up scrips.

They did not ask for birth date.

Texican....

 

[Griz3752]

Doesn't matter who calls us or who answers, the minute either of us hear: I just need to confirm . . . . or similar we respond with "you called us so tell me what you have in front of you and I'll confirm. No? All future communication needs to be on letterhead and clearly ID the sender, including contact info. Thank you. Good bye.

 

[Krayola]

But it is pushing it too far if they are asking for that anonymously. If I am in their office, or have initiated the call, I will comply. If they are going to call me 1) they already have my record in front of them (to get my phone number) 2) they need to ask me to return their call to the number I find in the phone book or online. They can tell me who to ask for. But over the phone, on a call they made, they are a stranger.

Delta, you are absolutely correct. Do not give any information to somebody who calls you. You have no way of knowing who they are. I am pretty confident that person was a scammer trying to get your personal info to steal your identity. Especially after you said you offered to call them back. Most health professionals are very busy and don't have time to dither around. If this had been legit, they would have been fine with you calling back and they would not have wasted all that time with you on hold while she discussed this with her "supervisor" nonsense. They were just in the background plotting trying to see if there was any other way to trick you into giving your info. You handled this well.

The entire healthcare industry is doing this and they need your full name and date birth In order to bring up your records.

^^ No, this is not correct. We frequently receive phone calls from medical providers and they do not ask us for personal identifying information when they call us. The only time I have to provide personal identifying information is when I am calling them. When I call them, they need me to confirm who I am before they discuss anything with me, which makes sense.

Doesn't matter who calls us or who answers, the minute either of us hear: I just need to confirm . . . . or similar we respond with "you called us so tell me what you have in front of you and I'll confirm.

Personally, I would not do that. The scammer may have your info already but wants you to confirm it. For example, they may know you were born on x date in the month of ******* but they aren't 100% sure of birth year.

"Sir, I have your DOB listed as blah blah blah", and then you tell them, "yes that is correct." You just confirmed it for them.

 

[amazon]

^^ No, this is not correct. We frequently receive phone calls from medical providers and they do not ask us for personal identifying information when they call us. The only time I have to provide personal identifying information is when I am calling them. When I call them, they need me to confirm who I am before they discuss anything with me, which makes sense.

Maybe your providers have different rules, or maybe they're just not following the standard guidelines for protecting private health information (PHI). In the overwhelming majority of Healthcare jobs you can get fired for not getting 2 identifiers before sharing PHI. It is drilled in as an absolute must and even must be documented in the chart. "Spoke with Mr. Jones. Identified by name and DOB." It really is to protect patient privacy, but in this world of scammers its hard to trust anyone.

To no one in particular, please don't be rude to your Healthcare team when they ask. They are only trying to protect your privacy and keep their job. I don't know anyone in Healthcare who doesn't understand why some people won't give info on the phone. It is understandable. Some people say that in a nice, reasonable way, and others in a not so nice way. Choose nice.

 

[Krayola]

I get what you are saying, amazon, but that's just insane to me that they call people and expect people to just give out private info to any Tom, Dick or Harry who calls and says they are from Dr. so-and-so's office. Based on that logic, that would be like me calling Blue Cross Blue Shield and expect them to give me sensitive information to prove to me that they are Blue Cross Blue Shield. If you have to divulge something confidential to a patient over the phone, I don't understand why the SOP is not to just call the patient and tell them to call back to get the info. I agree about not being rude, but it is really doing elderly patients a disservice to put them in that position because if they give it to you, that makes it more likely that they will think it is ok to do it when a scammer calls.

 

[ShadowMan]

I don't give out ANY personal information over the phone to anyone who calls me.....period. In fact I rarely answer the phone unless I know the person calling and they are already in my phone list. Leave a message, maybe I'll return your call.....if you're lucky....most likely not.

 

[quar]

I got into an argument over the phone with someone claiming to be from my drug plan health insurance company (Wellcare) because she wanted me to tell her my birth date. I figure if I initiate the call, then I know who I'm calling. But, if someone calls me, no way. She might have been a scammer. I told her I'd call back, so that I initiated the call, but I'd use the number on my card. She was off the phone for quite a while (she said she needed to talk with her supervisor). When she came back she said my security and privacy were of utmost importance, so I said "thanks" and hung up. I think in the next open enrollment I'll look for a new drug plan insurance. I'm open to suggestions.

Well, the "me" in the thread title should be a "my". Pardon me.

good call, you did good. BTW whats your birthday?

LOL JK

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

Give a fake one and see if they catch it. The real folks would say, “that doesn’t match our records,” while a scammer would just accept it.

I always report my birhdate as April 1’st, except in legitimate contexts where I am sure of who I am dealing with, and why they truly need it.

The year I use might vary, as both 1913 and 2013 are unbelieveable. But the date itself never does: April 1.

April Fools Day.

 

[CaryC]

Anytime your Healthcare provider/system calls you they are REQUIRED to verify you are the correct person with second identifier. They can't share any info if you won't confirm. I do like patient portals and find them helpful for sharing info/labs/instructions safely.

FTR, I do not share my DOB over the phone. If a pt doesn't want to confirm DOB I completely understand.

That's factual.

No big deal really, cuz your birthday is public info. If you haven't already, when you turn 65 your mailbox will be full, like in the thousands, of flyers wanting you to get their insurance. To do that, they need to know your birthday.

But if you don't feel comfortable in giving it, then don't.

What @amazon said is factual they need to verify who they are talking to. And when you go to any doctor's office the first thing they ask is your birthday. Right after NAME.

 

[Homestyle]

I give my birthdate to someone over the phone or online that I did not contact as April 31,1984. So far not one stupid soul has said that can't be right. Some say sorry I'm having trouble right now entering that. Ha. The legit places alway ask me to confirm the date they have on record and tell me the date they have.