Every year, thousands of seniors are targeted by scammers pretending to be from Medicare. Their goal? To trick you into giving away your personal information—especially your Medicare number.
Here’s what you need to know to stay safe and protect your coverage.
🎣 Common Medicare Scam Tactics
Fraudsters often reach out by phone, text, or email. They may say things like:
- “You need to activate or renew your Medicare card.”
- “We’d like to send you a free genetic testing kit.”
- “Medicare has authorized us to provide a free knee, back, or elbow brace.”
- “You qualify for a refund on your Medicare costs.”
These are red flags. Their real goal is to get your Medicare number or other private info—and once they have it, they can use it for fraudulent billing or identity theft.
🛑 Protect Yourself From Medicare Fraud
- Never give your Medicare number to anyone except your doctor or trusted health providers.
- Be skeptical of unsolicited offers—especially when they involve “free” equipment or services.
- Don’t trust caller ID or email addresses. Scammers can fake them to look official.
If you’re ever in doubt, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to check if something is legitimate.
💡 Remember
Medicare will never call or email you unless you contacted them first. If someone reaches out claiming to be from Medicare and you didn’t initiate the contact, it’s probably a scam.
✅ Stay Safe
Talk to your family and friends about these scams, and report any suspicious messages or calls right away. A few simple precautions can go a long way in protecting your benefits—and your peace of mind.