In this time of uncertainty over health insurance, grifters are targeting the elderly in a recent scam, County of San Bernardino Department of Aging and Adult Services officials warn.

Scammers, under the guise of being government officials, are contacting seniors either by phone, e-mail or in some cases in person and questioning if they have health insurance, according to a release. If the victim answers they do not, the con-artist threatens to put the senior in jail for not complying with alleged health care policies, officials said.

The scammers then offer the victim to sell them “ObamaCare” insurance to keep the elderly person out of jail.

According to government officials, there is no such policy, nor is there “ObamaCare” coverage.

Under the current national health care bill, the requirement to have health insurance doesn’t go into effect until 2014. And even then, those who do not have coverage cannot be jailed, county officials said. Instead, a gradual fine system will kick in.It’s unclear how many victims there may be in San Bernardino County or locally.

It’s getting hard to tell the amateur con men from the professionals anymore, the tactics are so similar.




  1. deowll says:

    It was going to happen and is most likely happening other places.

  2. Sparky_One says:

    The con men legislate that is why “It’s getting hard to tell the amateur con men from the professionals”.

  3. chuck says:

    So until 2014, it’s a scam.
    After that, it’s the “Law of The Land”.

  4. Steve S says:

    It could also be on-the-job government trainees getting practice for 2014.

  5. Obamacare says:

    Wouldn’t Obamacare mean you just get heathcare for free?

  6. Breetai says:

    @McCullough

    The professionals are elected.

  7. jbenson2 says:

    Slight revision:
    It’s getting hard to tell the amateur con-men from the administration’s con-men, the tactics are so similar.

  8. Speedmaster says:

    Yeah, but the real ObamaCare scam targets everyone. 😉

  9. Milo says:

    I wonder if these scammers travel in swift boats?

  10. fargonaz says:

    If they’re that feeble… I sure hope they don’t try to vote.

  11. Cap'nKangaroo says:

    Let us not leave out the scam artists who peddle the misinformation about Obamacare. Some of whom seem to have already posted here.

    NO ONE WILL GO TO JAIL for not having insurance. Before 2014 or after 2014. And maybe, just maybe, some who cannot afford insurance will be able to get it.

  12. admfubar says:

    i bet these “grifters” are nothing more than the health insurance industry helping themselves.

  13. Maricopa says:

    “And even then, those who do not have coverage cannot be jailed, county officials said. Instead, a gradual fine system will kick in.”

    Yeah, right. Don’t pay those fines and see how long it takes the IRS to find a way to start jailing people.

  14. Benjamin says:

    “Instead, a gradual fine system will kick in.”

    From what I hear of the fine, it costs almost as much as buying health insurance, but with no benefits. If I can’t afford health insurance, I can’t afford the fine.

    I do know for a fact that my copay went up $5 and my employee portion of the contribution went up since ObamaCare passed. How is this saving me money?

    These senior citizens are obviously idiots. They should have read the bill and they would know they had until 2014 to have insurance. What? Even the writers of the bill didn’t read it all? I say repeal it.

  15. MikeN says:

    It is not a fine. The US Government has said in court that it is a tax, and the provision of the law comes from the power to tax.

  16. soundwash says:

    ah, McCullough you know you and i are birds of a feather, however i am of the firm opinion that the only real “Obamcare scammers” are those who have been voted into office.

    all others are standard issue scammers “stealing the limelight” and distracting from the truth.. and it should always be stated as such.

    -s

  17. Glenn E. says:

    I’ll just bet that you don’t hear about this on the Fox News network. They’d rather exploit it as anti-Obama propaganda. And report people being jailed, without checking the “facts” of the legislation. Since a lot of seniors seem to trust Fox News to give them the “real stuff”. This is where (or from whom) they should be warned about this scam. But again, I’m betting it wouldn’t happen. For “political reasons”.

  18. Brian says:

    The headline of this article is so misleading, it’s not even funny.


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