It’s That Time of Year: Medicare Scams Are Everywhere
It’s that time of year. Medicare Open Enrollment is underway. Federal officials have issued an urgent warning to all medicare recipients that scammers are now paying to land at the very top of your Google results with fake websites that look identical to the official government site.
If you type “Medicare” into a search bar and click that first link, you could hand your identity to a stranger, get signed up for a plan that drops your doctors, and have your phone flooded with dozens of high-pressure sales calls within minutes.
And now there is a new scam called…
The ‘Plastic Medicare Card’ scam
Federal officials are warning medicare beneficiaries about a new scam involving fake “new plastic” or “chip-enabled” Medicare cards. Scammers are contacting seniors via mail, phone calls, and texts—claiming that Medicare is upgrading to laminated plastic cards to replace the current paper cards. Scammers are contacting Medicare recipients by email and phone and demanding personal details like Social Security or Medicare numbers to “activate” them.
The Truth is that there are no new plastic Medicare cards. Official Medicare cards are strictly made of paper. Medicare does not issue plastic or chip cards, nor will they ever make unsolicited contacts asking for personal details to mail or maintain coverage.
How the Scam Works
Fake Mail & Phone Calls: Fraudsters send official-looking letters—or spoof government numbers on caller ID—claiming a new card is required.
Requests for Personal Info: They demand your Social Security number, Medicare ID, or bank information under the guise of verifying your shipping address or charging a “card processing fee”.
Threats of Cancellation: Scammers often claim your healthcare benefits will be dropped unless you upgrade to the new plastic card immediately.
How to Protect Yourself
Never Give Personal Details Unsolicited: Real Medicare representatives will never contact you out of the blue demanding your Social Security number, Medicare number, or payment.
Ignore “Plastic Card” Upgrades: There is no official plastic or microchip card. If anyone tells you otherwise, it is a scam.
Verify Independently: If you receive suspicious mail or calls, do not use the phone number listed on the mailing. Instead, call Medicare directly at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
What to Do If You Already Shared Information
If you disclosed your Social Security or Medicare number to a suspect contact, act right away:
Call 1-800-MEDICARE immediately to report the breach and request a new Medicare ID.
Contact your bank or financial institutions if any bank or credit card account details were shared.
Keeping you safe and helping you navigate the increasingly complex cyberworld is our priority.