Protect Your Financial Health From Medicare Scams

Criminals use a wide range of Medicare scams to steal your personal information. Learn how Medicare scams work and how to stay protected.

If you’re one of 64 million Americans eligible for Medicare, you may be targeted by criminals for your personal information and Medicare benefits. The Federal Trade Commission receives almost a million reports about impersonation scammers annually — including Medicare scammers – who steal almost $2.3 billion from people across the country and defraud Medicare of about $60 billion. Don’t be a victim! Here are common Medicare scams, their warning signs, and ways to avoid getting fooled.

1. New Card Scam – It may sound legitimate that Medicare is replacing old cards with new ones. And callers claiming to be government employees are counting on this claim sounding true. They’ll ask for your Medicare or Social Security number and, in some cases, threaten to stop your coverage unless you comply. Don’t fall for it. There’s no new Medicare card coming, and sharing your information can help these scammers commit identity theft or insurance fraud. Note: Getting a replacement card from Medicare is free. If your card is damaged or lost, you can get a replacement by visiting Medicare.gov. Just log into (or create) a secure Medicare account and print an official copy of your Medicare card.
2.  Phony Refund Scams – A scammer may call you with a fake refund offer, which they claim is the result of changes to your plan. They may ask for your banking information to direct-deposit your refund. The refund is fake, but the threat of identity theft is real.
3. Supplemental Plan Scams – These misleading offers claim that a new plan will lower your out-of-pocket medical costs. This scam is especially common during the open enrollment period. While many legitimate insurance companies do serve Medicare recipients, not every policy is right for you. Always do your research before enrolling.
4. Free Offer Scams – An offer for a free product like a medical brace, wheelchair, or helpful electronic device may be a scam, especially when you need to provide your Medicare or credit card number. That equipment will likely never be delivered. In addition, with that information, the scammer can bill Medicare for unnecessary equipment and even charge your credit card account.
5. Fake Bill Scams – Scammers will often count on you being responsible and paying your bills on time. They’ll send fraudulent bills from healthcare providers you haven’t used in the hope that you’ll pay without asking questions.
6. Public Health Crisis Scams – During an emergency like the COVID-19 pandemic, criminals may play on people’s fears by offering fake tests or treatments to Medicare beneficiaries. Their real goal is to collect patients’ Medicare information and commit medical identity theft.

How to Protect Yourself

Whether you have Medicare now or soon will, here’s how you can avoid falling for these scams:

• Be wary of calls claiming to be from Medicare. With a trick called spoofing, scammers’ numbers can appear on caller ID to look like they’re coming from a government agency. Don’t give out any personal information to the caller. Hang up and make your own call to Medicare at 1.800.MEDICARE.
• Don’t share your Medicare card number or other sensitive details except with your healthcare team.
• If you feel pressured to share information, hang up. Remember, Medicare will never call you unless you reached out first, and they won’t come to your home.
• Keep track of the services you receive and frequently review your Medicare Summary Notices or statements. Report any suspicious claims.
• Make sure you recognize medical bills and understand why you’re being charged.
• Before choosing a Medicare supplement insurance plan, research Medicare-approved providers at Medicare.gov. Don’t put up with aggressive sales tactics, which can include telemarketing calls and door-to-door visits.
• Report potential scams for investigation to 1.800.MEDICARE and ReportFraud.FTC.gov. Reporting scams can help the government fight them.

Remember the signs of a Medicare scam and take these steps to avoid them so you can stay focused on what’s most important: staying healthy.