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Scammers follow the news – and the money. A few months ago, we shared the news that Medicare is sending new cards to everyone who gets Medicare benefits, replacing your Social Security number with another number. As expected, scammers have been trying to cash in on this change.

These scammers typically reach out by phone and have tried a few different tactics. Sometimes, they claim to be a Medicare representative and ask to verify (ahem, steal) your information. Or they claim that there’s a fee for your new card (there isn’t). Others claim that your Medicare card was compromised and you need to move your money from your bank into “safer accounts” (it wasn’t, you don’t, and following their advice means putting your money in their pockets). We’ve even heard of some scammers offering plastic versions of the card for a fee – even though the real Medicare cards are paper and there are no legitimate plastic cards.

How can you avoid these scams? Remember these tips:

  • Don’t give personal information to get your new Medicare card. If someone calls claiming to be from Medicare, asking for your Social Security number, bank information, or other information to get your new card, that’s a scam. Hang up. Medicare will never ask you to give personal information to get your new Medicare number and card.
  • Don’t pay for your new card. It’s yours for free. If anyone calls and says you need to pay for it, that’s a scam. Hang up.

If you’ve already given out your bank account information over the phone, talk to your bank immediately. You’ll want to deal with any unauthorized activity on your account as soon as possible.

For more information about the new Medicare cards, go to go.medicare.gov/newcard.

And if you’re a victim of a scam, report it to the FTC.

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The purpose of this blog and its comments section is to inform readers about Federal Trade Commission activity, and share information to help them avoid, report, and recover from fraud, scams, and bad business practices. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. But keep in mind, this is a moderated blog. We review all comments before they are posted, and we won’t post comments that don’t comply with our commenting policy. We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect.

  • We won’t post off-topic comments, repeated identical comments, or comments that include sales pitches or promotions.
  • We won’t post comments that include vulgar messages, personal attacks by name, or offensive terms that target specific people or groups.
  • We won’t post threats, defamatory statements, or suggestions or encouragement of illegal activity.
  • We won’t post comments that include personal information, like Social Security numbers, account numbers, home addresses, and email addresses. To file a detailed report about a scam, go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

We don't edit comments to remove objectionable content, so please ensure that your comment contains none of the above. The comments posted on this blog become part of the public domain. To protect your privacy and the privacy of other people, please do not include personal information. Opinions in comments that appear in this blog belong to the individuals who expressed them. They do not belong to or represent views of the Federal Trade Commission.

Unreal
June 13, 2019
Message left on on voice mail need to complete form on line for Medicare paid Home Health Care go to Medicare website to complete. you will need password which she gave and if you have any problems call me back and have a 1-844 number just deleted messages did not listen to remaining message. How can anyone be so real. In believing that we are going to fall for this. Shame on them. What goes around, comes around.
Wisetoscam
June 15, 2019
A new scam in the Kentucky area. Caller asks if you got your new card. Then asks if it has a shiny chip on it. was put back when I said yes. When he asked for my card no. I hung up.
4oregonz
June 19, 2019
Seems to be starting back up again. Yesterday call from 619-745-4828 stating Medicare Representative calling to confirm receipt of my new card, today 618-215-2177. Caller kept asking if I was still on Medicare...at least three times, as I asked for his name and the company he was calling from. Would not provide his name nor the name of the company he was with. He said, sounding frustrated, "you do have a red, white and blue card, correct?" When I asked who they were, he said he was a Medicare Representative calling to let me know about medical equipment available through Medicare, and as far as his records showed, I still was on Medicare. I said I may or may not be on Medicare, but do not need any equipment and hung up. When calling back both of the # on caller ID, states the call cannot be completed as dialed to please check the number and try again. Frustrating that they know our names!! I was called Miss (and my last name, pronounced wrong with an Indian accent!!)
Cookie
June 19, 2019
I received a call at 9:10pm tonight from 973-942-9712 he said he was from medicare and I needed to get a new card- he had my name, address and phone # and when he asked for my birth date, I told him I don't give that info. over the phone.
Not today baby
June 29, 2019
I just received a call from someone claiming to be from medicare they wanted to know if my new card was paper or plastic. I received a call from number 619 762 6932 and I just hung up in his face. Not today baby.
Bonnie Shirley
July 09, 2019
I regularly get calls from people saying if I do not order their product, usually a back brace or something similar, Medicare will in the future disallow this item...I let them go on a while to waste their time so they cannot call another senior, then I tell them it is a scam, and they will eventually be contacted by the FBI. (have no idea if that is true, but it used to work with IRS scammers)
NB253
July 25, 2019
Still happening! Been inundated with up to 13 calls a day from July 16 to July 23, 2019 from same number (no msg) that changes their no. everyday from 732 area code So annoying! I finally picked up call and rec'd robocall about Medicare free back/knee brace and hung up. Blocked all their nos. This scam is well know. Don't fall for it!! Calls finally stopped yesterday.
Thankyou
July 26, 2019
Your information has stopped a scam from being completed. Thank you.
RnDCali
August 01, 2019
We received a couple calls today from 773.787.2355
Jessie
August 02, 2019
WASHINGTON STATE: Don't fall for someone calling from this number: 206-777-6052. Robocall claiming to be Medicare!!!
bobbeer
August 13, 2019
I am turning 65 this coming December. for the past 5 months or so, I gt calls from different telephone #s across the US that identity themselves as Medicare Options. I answer the phone and kindly say I am not interested. I assume Medicare Options is a scam
Rich
September 19, 2019

In reply to by bobbeer

We are getting those now. It started about 2 weeks ago. The call all day.
classof70rocks
August 15, 2019
got a call from San Diego 1-619-323-0917. Complete scam but felt like having fun. I only verified he was speaking to who he wanted to be- then I let him ask away, but I didn't answer - just said "next question". when he asked from my birth date I thanked him for speaking so long to me - told him I had recorded his conversation, I had the # he called from and that he talked long enough to get the location he was calling from - I told him his day was about to get exciting and not to leave - he should stick around for feds to get there. he hung up :)
AR client
August 19, 2019
Just had a call that they wanted to “update” my information, the number was 571 800-0151, but it also said “ unknown caller”! I always say that if you have legitimate buisiness, you put down your name!
Scruffy
August 22, 2019
Got the call, foreign diaLECT, told me my parents dob's asked if correct I said yes, then he directed me to get thew paper medicare card and asked for the numbers..said THEY ARE NOT SOC.SEC#'s, I said Im not giving that info on the phone ( but I already affirmed the dob's, where did they get that?) bets just hang up on all calls if youdont know who!
Not my email address
August 24, 2019
Got this scam call today. The caller I.D. read "LDS Church" the caller identified himself as being with Medicare. He said that I was all approved for my new card and then asked me tongive him my Medicare number. He hung up when I told him that I'm not on Medicare.
Kar
August 28, 2019
I just got one of the calls from San Diego. Had our names, address n date of birth. When he ask for our ID number, I questioned him. He proceeded to then tell me the call was being recorded and even gave me his “ID” number. I hung up.
IrishLass
September 03, 2019
Got 5 calls today from a scammer, never gave them info, just that I knew it was a scam and that they were trying to steal mi identity. Man with very hard to understand accent started getting irate with me when I told him he needed to speak English. In other words, i wasted a bunch of his time.
Rich
September 19, 2019
We are getting over 10 calls a day from different people wanting to discuss our Medicare enrollment. I give them no info and tell them to take us off the call list but it doesn't work. The calls start around 830 in the morning and will continue until 8 at night. I'm really getting sick of it.
Phyllis
September 25, 2019
Have you received phone calls from (909) 264-3880, a so-called "Medicare Pain Department"? The callers have heavy accents and are difficult to understand. The first call today was at 7:15 this morning. :/ My second call came in about 10 minutes ago, when asked who was calling the man said he was from the Medicare Pain Department, I replied, NO, you're not calling from a medicare pain department, he hung up.Oh...and both callers asked for me by name. I jotted down the number calling and called it back. The number is a doctor's office in Colton, and they know nothing about this "medical pain department". Curious as to how the doctor's office phone number is showing as the calling parties number.
Jocurl
October 02, 2019
I received a call today with them asking me if I received my new card, book and if I could verify my info on the card. I told him well if you called me you can read me what yo have on the screen. He said my last name and asked again. I told him if I need anything I will call them. Dang cons!!
DOLSIE
October 15, 2019
How do we get them to stop calling in the first place. They ruin my day, reminding me of all the crooks in the world. Hate being on guard ALL the time. Exhausting!
Woodsy67
October 23, 2019
I just got a call from ‭+1 (213) 471-8558‬ asking if I had Medicaid or Medicare and for my full name because I might be eligible for an upgraded benefit. I was thrown off guard and confirmed my name and that I received medical. They clarified the spelling of my name a couple times, which rgot me suspicious and then asked me to hold so I could confirm the upgrade with another representative. He then came on and asked me to again confirm if I have Medicare or Medicaid and I said I have medical. He said thank you and hung up. Is there anything they can do with this information? I only gave them my name.
Gerry-D
March 06, 2020
Just had a call on our home phone, the caller ID box said anonymous. I said "yea" I never say hello, and after a few seconds silence a woman came on the line saying she was from the medicare info line and asked for my wife. (My wife won't be medicare age before the fall of 2020 and it's March) I said that the caller ID said anonymous and your call can't be trusted. She said what? I repeated myself and said that my caller ID said anonymous and if you hide your number you can't be trusted. I continued with; if you call again I will have a trace put on the call and turn you over to the police. Then I hung up.
Nola
June 08, 2020
I received a call from what is suppose to be Medicare office 1-256.239-7200 Brian Barker, he had my name and DOB and he wanted to verify my Medicare number. I refused and said I would call him back but the number did not work.
MaryAnn se you…
June 16, 2020
Got a call from Sri Lanka today. So called Medicare agent said he was calling on behalf of Medicare on a recorded line. He gave me a name of , Joe. I said Joe , l don’t want to talk to you and hung up!
Lita2020
December 03, 2020
I don’t give out any info on the phone BUT these people called and told me all of my husbands info even his Medicare card number. We have no idea how they got his info but I called Medicare (25 minute wait) and she filed a complaint and told me to call the Federal Trade Commission,I did a complaint form online cause it was a long wait time on the phone. Wondering if I should call and request a new Medicare card number for him.
Nayi
February 04, 2021
I received a call today saying Medicare had a new card and if I had received it? Well it’s a SCAM and no such thing as a black and white Medicare card. Don’t offer any information. The wanted me to confirm name and address and then for me to give my Medicare number and when I said you called me you should have it they hung up. Luckily I never have the information nation out. But they caught me very busy and I was paying attention.. don’t give out information.
garych65
February 26, 2021
I am now getting harrassment calls from medicare discount card. when respond that I can hear them ok then the line goes dead. I am getting these calls 3 and 4 times a day.
Sarah H
March 16, 2021
I just received a call from a local number stating they were the Medicare Verification Center and that they have been trying to contact me because my medicare card had expired and was no longer valid. They knew my address and date of birth but wanted my medicare #. They said that wanted to mail me my new Medicare card. They also asked for my primary care physician. I told them that I had received several documents from Medicare with no problem so why the problem now. I asked if I could call them back they gave me the 1 800 # for Medicare. I believe this is a scam. Glad I hung up but concerned that had my name, address and DOB.
Mildred
April 13, 2021
I just got a call from what I suspected to be a Medicare scammer asking if I have received my new Medicare card. I was trying to get more info so that I could report them, so I said "yes" when they asked me to verify my name. I also asked for their address, telephone number, name, and manager's name. Did I put myself at risk by verifying my name and asking those questions? I did not give any other info. Next time I'll just hang up.
Scam KS
July 01, 2021
Call from 385-364-4494 about needing to send my new card for 2021, would I please go get my old card. I hung up.
Greta
July 01, 2021
I knew it was a scam because it was a call that they put through from the number of a dead person. How did I know that? It was my deceased neighbor's name on the caller ID. Whoops!
Gayle71
July 19, 2021
My father just received a call from an individual claiming to be from Medicare notifying him, Medicare is mailing him a new black & white Medicare card. The caller indicated he needed to verify information. I told him if it is just a new card then mail it. He insisted I needed to verify the information. I then hung up the call.
USNEODRLW
January 04, 2022
The scammers are relentless in their approach to get your Medicare information and money. Even after repeatedly asking to be removed from the call list continue to receive as many as 10 calls a day. Wish there was a way to block these incoming calls?
Candace Dunn
May 17, 2022

Today, May 16,2022, I received a call asking if I had received my new Medicare card. Then asked to confirm my address. I refused to give or confirm any information and hung up on the caller. The caller ID showed Parker, Kansas and the number was 913-898-1703.