The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) identified a fraud scheme targeting Medicare providers and suppliers. Scammers are impersonating CMS and sending phishing requests for medical records or payment of alleged Medicare debts, often via fax or email, falsely claiming to be part of a Medicare audit or debt collection efforts.
CMS reminded providers that it generally doesn’t initiate audits via fax or email unless a provider requests it, and Medicare overpayment collections are handled through an established process through the Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs). CMS recommends not responding to suspicious requests, and to work with a Medical Review Contractor to confirm if a medical records request is real or with a MAC for overpayment collections.
