Scam Alert: PA Officials Warn Of Health Insurance Sales Robocalls

HARRISBURG, PA — Authorities in Pennsylvania are warning residents about about unsolicited health insurance sales robocalls, especially during the ACA open enrollment period. Robocalls have increased significantly across the country and determining the difference between a company legally selling insurance and a scam can be challenging, Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Jessica Altman said.

Officials have offered the following tips to avoid being scammed:

Robocall Warning Signs

• Automated sales call from a company or organization you have not previously given consent to contact you
• Prerecorded message tells you to press “1” or some other key to be taken off a call list
• The message highlights health insurance available at a suspiciously discounted rate

What Consumers Should Know

• Verify callers; hang up and call the business or organization directly to ask if they have contact ed you for any reason
• Avoid answering calls from unknown numbers
• Don’t press any keys or say anything when prompted; alerts robocall organizations that your number is working, and this may lead to more calls
• Do not request to speak to a live operator; this can lead to an aggressive sales pitch or phishing for more personal information
• Robocalls can mask their location; phone numbers can appear to be legitimate government agencies, corporations and numbers similar to one you know

“Consumers should always be wary of unsolicited health insurance sales calls,” Altman said. “If a consumer is contacted by an automatic robocall about buying insurance or changing a plan, and hasn’t previously listed a phone number, they should contact their agent or insurance company before making any decisions.”

If you receive an unsolicited, suspicious call from someone claiming to be from the Insurance Department, contact law enforcement as well as the Insurance Department’s consumer hotline at 1-877-881-6388.