BATON ROUGE, La. – Tax season can be more than just a hassle for those filing – this is a prime time of year for scammers to trick taxpayers into sharing their personal and financial information.
Identity thieves take advantage of tax season to call people claiming to be from the Internal Revenue Service or other official entity, saying they need to verify details in the person’s tax return such as Social Security number, banking account numbers or other personally identifying information. If someone shares that information, the scammer can use it to steal money, intercept the person’s tax refund or open new lines of credit with the stolen identity.
If you get a cold call from someone who wants to verify your tax return information, be wary, especially if the person is asking about personally identifying or financial information. You can contact the organization the caller says he/she is from to make sure this information is really needed. If it’s a legitimate call, they will understand that you want to check it out first.
And, if someone asks you for information you don’t feel comfortable giving out, don’t do it. If this is needed for a real purpose, the person asking will work with you to find a secure way you can submit or confirm your personal information.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana customers can sign up for free identity protection services, offered through a partnership with AllClear ID, a national company that specializes in identity protection.
Most customers are eligible for these services, which include:
While these services are an extra benefit for being a Blue Cross customer, they apply to all parts of life, not just healthcare. If your credit card is stolen or there is a data breach at a retailer where you shop, these services will protect you then, too.
To enroll in identity protection services:
After you sign up, AllClear ID will check in with you each year to make sure you are still eligible for these services. If you are and wish to continue, you can quickly renew, and your coverage will remain in place.
For more information about these services, visit Blue Cross’ AllClear ID website.
About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is committed to our mission to improve the health and lives of Louisianians. We invest both time and money in the communities we serve, supporting the health and wellbeing of Louisianians through more than 200 charitable organizations.
With our subsidiaries, HMO Louisiana and Southern National Life, we provide group and individual health insurance plans, life and disability insurance, group voluntary products and administrative services to one out of four Louisiana residents. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana also provides Medicare supplement and Medicare Advantage plans and is a partner in offering the Healthy Blue Medicaid Managed care plan. Louisiana is the only state where we operate, with offices in every major region to serve our customers.
Founded in New Orleans in 1934, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is a tax-paying non-profit health insurer. We are a private mutual company, owned by our policyholders, with an independent Louisiana Board of Directors and no shareholders. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
To learn more, visit our website at www.bcbsla.com.
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