Online Threat Alerts (OTA) - Alerting you to scams and frauds.

Kaiser Permanente Scam Calls - How to Protect Yourself
Kaiser Permanente Scam Calls - How to Protect Yourself

Scam calls impersonating Kaiser Permanente often use a technique called "spoofing" to make the caller ID display a legitimate Kaiser number, such as their official medical center or billing lines. These scammers frequently target individuals with fraudulent claims about unpaid bills, rejected insurance, or identity theft to steal personal and financial information.

Common Scam Tactics

  • Medical Fraud Claims: Scammers claim you filed a fraudulent insurance claim (often for surgery abroad, like an appendectomy) and pressure you to "verify" your identity to resolve it.
  • Mandarin Speaker Targeting: A widespread scam specifically targets individuals with Asian surnames, with callers insisting on speaking Mandarin and claiming the victim is "registered" as a Chinese speaker.
  • Urgent Payment Demands: Callers may threaten that your membership will be cancelled unless you make an immediate payment via unusual methods like gift cards or Bitcoin.
  • Medicare Card Scams: Fraudulent calls may claim you need to provide personal information to receive a new Medicare card.

Protect Yourself

  • Don't Trust Caller ID: Even if the name and number appear to be Kaiser Permanente, treat unsolicited calls with skepticism. Scammers can easily fake this information.
  • Verify Independently: If you receive a suspicious call, hang up and call the official Kaiser Permanente Member Services number found on the back of your member ID card or their official website.
  • Check Your Account: Log in to your secure kp.org account or the Kaiser Permanente app to check for any legitimate billing issues or messages.
  • Never Give Info on Inbound Calls: Kaiser will not call you to ask for your Social Security number or mother's maiden name, as they already have that information on file.

Where to Report Fraud

If you suspect you have been targeted by a Kaiser Permanente impersonator, you can report it to:

  • Kaiser Fraud Hotline: Call 1-888-774-9100.
  • Medicare Fraud: Report suspicious Medicare-related calls to 1-800-MEDICARE or the HHS-OIG Hotline at 1-800-447-8477
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