Consumer advocates and government officials are warning consumers to beware of scam artists, who are poised to take advantage of widespread confusion over the Affordable Care Act by trying to steal American's credit cards, Social Security numbers and other personal information, The Washington Post reported. These fraudulent practices aren't new. Consumer groups first noticed a spike in complaints about Affordable Care Act swindles after Congress passed the 2010 law. But now, as the Oct. 1 deadline to open health insurance exchanges loom, healthcare scams are on the rise again. "We are starting to get a few complaints that people are receiving unsolicited calls that say they can provide insurance," Nanci Gonder, spokeswoman for the Missouri Attorney General's Office, told the Post. "We plan to issue some kind of alert in the future to make sure consumers watch for any calls that could be scams, that could be people trying to get their personal or financial information." Article