Tricare warns of scam phone calls offering Covid-19 test kits

Tricare is warning customers that scammers are preying on coronavirus fears to steal personal information by offering Covid-19 test kits.

As the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the United States continues to climb, some Americans have growing concerns about the availability of testing. Nefarious actors, it seems, are taking advantage of that uncertainty by contacting people over the phone claiming to be Tricare representatives and offering Covid-19 test kits.

"The scam involves direct calls to beneficiaries with an offer to ship or sell COVID-19 testing kits. The calls include requests for personal information such as Social Security numbers, bank or credit card information," the release states. "Beneficiaries should avoid any solicitation regarding a COVID-19 test kit by anyone other than their attending physician."

Tricare will only provide Covid-19 test kits upon order from a physician, and currently physician orders require that a patient meet certain criteria in order to be eligible for a test.

Testing is authorized based on the clinical judgment of a provider, exposure, travel history and symptoms," Tricare's webpage reads.

"You must have an in-person or virtual telephone/video visit with a provider who will arrange testing in a military treatment facility (if MTF-enrolled) or in the private sector (if enrolled to the network provider with TRICARE Prime or if you're using TRICARE Select or TRICARE For Life). If network, the cost of the test is covered in the cost of the visit itself."

As a result of these scammers, Tricare is asking that any unusual or suspicious calls from people claiming to be Tricare representatives should be reported on their Fraud and Abuse page here.

There have been more than a half million confirmed cases of Covid-19 infection around the world thus far, with more than 23,000 deaths attributed to the disease. America recently crossed over the 75,000 confirmed cases mark, with more than 1,000 deaths.

Tricare beneficiaries can be tested for Covid-19 at no cost provided they meet Tricare's aforementioned testing criteria.

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