Check an enrollment link.
By Tyler Mayberry · Cirlet. Published October 24, 2026. AI-assisted original practice exercise. Uses sample situations; no client records.
A client asks: “This ad says I need to act now to keep my health insurance. Is it real?”
The FTC's September 28, 2026 alert warns about misleading health-insurance search ads and websites that resemble government sites. A familiar logo or a prominent search position is not enough to establish who operates a page. The alert does not attribute these scams to AI.
Before enrollment questions get busy, decide how your agency will handle that message. A staff member needs an approved next step, not a guess about the link.
A seven-minute desk exercise
Use this sample question in a staff discussion. Do not open a suspected scam page, enter information or send a test message to clients.
- Minute1: receive the question. Read the sample question aloud. Which existing channel should staff use to raise it? Keep passwords, identity documents, medical details and client screenshots out of this exercise.
- Minutes2–3: find the responsible person. Name the agency role authorized to answer enrollment questions and its backup. Where is the approved handoff recorded? An unfamiliar link does not establish which plan or organization is involved.
- Minutes4–5: locate a trusted route. Find the agency's existing approved reference for government enrollment resources. Start independently from that reference, rather than following the questioned ad or its phone number. The FTC identifies Medicare.gov, HealthCare.gov and their assistance routes; use the source below for current guidance.
- Minutes6–7: record the gap. If staff cannot find the handoff or approved reference, mark it unknown. Assign someone to confirm it. A completed discussion does not prove that your agency can identify every scam.
Editable desk note
Exercise date: ____
Responsible agency role / approved backup: ____
Where staff find the approved handoff: ____
Where staff find independently established enrollment references: ____
What remained unknown: ____
Person responsible for resolving it / review date: ____
Keep internal contacts and client information out of any public version. Use the agency's existing incident process for a real suspected compromise.
Before replying
“Thanks for checking before entering information. Please do not send passwords, identity documents or medical details in this message. [Approved agency role] can explain our next step through [existing approved contact route].”
Replace the brackets and have the agency approve the wording. Do not send it as a promise of a service or response time your agency has not established. Staff must not infer coverage, enrollment status or a plan's validity from this exercise.
Sources and next step
FTC consumer alert, September 28, 2026, checked October24,2026. Consult its official reporting and assistance links when needed. This exercise is a Cirlet original, not an FTC document or endorsement.
For other unexpected requests, use the existing client verification message templates. Those templates explain an agency's approved verification process; they do not establish it.