Medicare will never call you unexpectedly and ask for personal or sensitive information such as your Social Security or Medicare number.

Scammers pretending to be from Medicare or a related healthcare organization can use your information to commit medical identity theft. This is a serious crime that can have devasting effects on your life and livelihood.

Understanding the warning signs of a potential scam can help you protect yourself and your loved ones from bad actors who are imitating legitimate Medicare representatives.

A general rule is to avoid answering an unfamiliar, unknown, or blocked phone number. But scammers can “spoof” the number that appears on your caller ID so that it looks like a legitimate phone number.

The goal is to trick you into answering the phone and speaking with the caller as though they are a trusted representative.

If you do answer the phone and the caller claims to be a Medicare representative, hang up immediately. Call the phone number on your Medicare card or Medicare statement to verify the caller’s authenticity.

A scam caller will likely do one or more of the following:

  • ask you to provide or verify personal information
  • offer free medical devices, medical supplies, prescription medications, genetic tests, or other services
  • ask you to activate, verify, renew, replace, or upgrade your Medicare card
  • tell you that your benefits are at risk unless you take steps to protect your account or your access
  • pressure you to switch plans or buy additional coverage
  • tell you that you have an unpaid or overdue balance and ask for payment
  • ask you to make a decision or take action immediately to avoid a negative outcome

If you hear one of these red flags or otherwise feel uneasy or uncertain about a caller, end the phone call immediately. You don’t have to explain why or tell them that you’re ending it — just hang up the phone!

It’s important to understand that a Medicare representative will not call you out of the blue. Medicare will call you only if you:

  • are already a member of a Medicare plan and have requested a phone call from your agent or plan provider
  • called the Medicare helpline and left a message asking for a return phone call
  • called the Medicare helpline and spoke with a representative who said they would call you back
  • filed a report of suspected fraud and a representative is calling you to follow up on the investigation

In recent years, scam callers trying to commit medical identity theft have:

  • offered to mail free at-home COVID-19 tests
  • sold “expensive” knee braces and other medical equipment at a steep discount
  • offered free genetic testing
  • asked for income recertification
  • claimed that beneficiaries are owed a refund
  • asked beneficiaries to return Medicare cards by mail in order to receive a new card
  • mentioned “pre-approval” for a plan, prescription, or service
  • claimed that a plan, prescription, or service is “preferred by Medicare”

These scams are designed to get you to provide or confirm sensitive personal information such as your:

  • Medicare number or card
  • Social Security number or card
  • bank account, credit card, or debit card number
  • account usernames, passwords, or recovery questions
  • full, middle, or maiden name
  • pet’s, partner’s, or family member’s name
  • date of birth
  • address

If you suspect that you’ve been involved in a Medicare scam, report it as soon as possible. Here are some ways you can do that:

If you have a Medicare Advantage or prescription drug plan, you can also call the Investigations Medicare Drug Integrity Contractor at 877-772-3379.

Any information you provide can help stop the scammers. This includes the:

  • number at which you received the call
  • number that appeared on your caller ID
  • number the caller told you to call back
  • date and time of the call

Never share personal information with anyone who contacts you unexpectedly, even if they claim to be from Medicare.

They may mention Medicare and seem official, but if they ask for your Medicare, Social Security, or financial account numbers, it’s a scam.