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NEVER, disclose any of your personal or financial information over the phone to someone you do not know. That being said, the South Dakota Attorney General has issued a new warning.

If anyone receives telephone calls threatening to take away a person’s Medicare benefits, they should contact South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley's office immediately.

As these scams are considered a form of fraud, billions of dollars are lost each year.

In a release by the SDAG, the Consumer Protection Division has received calls from citizens in recent weeks who say they have received telephone calls from scammers purporting to be from Medicare. The callers will demand the person to provide their Medicare number and if not, threaten to stop their benefits.

Attorney General Jackley has an important message for South Dakota residents:

“This is not a new scam, but it is a relentless one,” said Attorney General Jackley. “These scammers will do anything they can to convince the person to disclose personal or financial information, including their Medicare numbers. Please remember that the official Medicare office does not call people.”

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

Never provide your financial or personal information to someone via the telephone. If you receive such a call from a number that does not show up on caller ID, hang up and contact the businesses directly using a known number, not the number showing up on caller ID.

HOW TO REPORT A SUSPICIOUS CALL?

Consumers who believe they may have been a victim of any type of scam should contact the Attorney General’s Office’s Consumer Protection Division at 1-800-300-1986.