By Christian BrinkleyLicensed NC Insurance Agent, NPN 22217190, NC Life & Health · Updated October 14, 2026 · 4 min read
If you are on Medicare, you will get scam calls. It is not a matter of if, but when. Scammers target Medicare beneficiaries because Medicare numbers are valuable and health care topics feel urgent and confusing. The good news: scam calls follow patterns. Once you know the red flags, they are easier to spot.
Why Scams Work
Scammers create urgency and fear. They say your Medicare card will be cancelled, you owe money, or you will lose coverage unless you act now. Rushed people are more likely to share personal information or say yes to something they do not understand.
What Medicare Will Never Do
Medicare will never call out of the blue to ask for your Medicare number. It already has it. It will never ask for your Social Security number, bank account, or credit card by phone.
Medicare will never call to sell you a plan. It does not make sales calls. Insurers and licensed agents can call about plans, but Medicare itself does not.
Common Scams
The new Medicare card scam: the caller says you need a new card and asks for your Medicare or Social Security number to send it. Medicare cards are mailed automatically. No phone request is needed.
The free equipment scam: free braces, diabetic supplies, or genetic testing, with Medicare footing the bill. They want your Medicare number to bill. Never give your Medicare number to a cold caller offering free equipment.
Red Flags
Urgency: act now or lose coverage. Real Medicare communications give you time and deadlines in writing.
Requests for personal information: full Medicare number, Social Security number, bank or credit card details by phone.
Unusual payment methods: gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, prepaid cards.
Unsolicited offers of free equipment, free testing, or a new plan.
Pressure to enroll without letting you hang up or review written information.
What to Do If You Get a Scam Call
Do not engage. Do not confirm personal information. Do not answer yes to questions that could be recorded as agreement. Hang up without giving anything.
Do not call back the number that called you. Call the official number instead: 1-800-MEDICARE for Medicare, 1-800-772-1213 for Social Security, or the number on the back of your plan card.
If you shared your Medicare number, call 1-800-MEDICARE right away. Check your Medicare Summary Notices and Explanation of Benefits for services you did not receive.
How to Protect Yourself
Guard your Medicare number like your Social Security number. Share it only with your doctors, pharmacy, plan, and Medicare. Do not carry the card in your wallet unless you need it for an appointment.
Be skeptical of unsolicited calls, texts, and emails about Medicare. Medicare will not text you asking for personal information.
Register on the National Do Not Call Registry at donotcall.gov. It will not stop scammers, but it cuts legitimate telemarketing and makes scams easier to spot.
What About Legitimate Calls?
Your plan or a licensed agent you asked to contact you may call. A legitimate caller will not ask for your full Medicare number if they already have you as a customer. They will let you hang up and call back on a published number.
When in doubt, hang up and call back using the number on your plan card or medicare.gov.
Getting Help
Call 1-800-MEDICARE if you are worried you shared information or see a suspicious charge. Contact your state Senior Medicare Patrol. In North Carolina, the Senior Medicare Patrol offers free help to spot and report fraud. Your state SHIP program, called SHIIP in North Carolina, offers free counseling too.
This article is general information only. If you think you are a victim of fraud, contact Medicare, your bank, and local law enforcement promptly.
Questions people ask me about this
Why do scams work?
Scammers create urgency and fear. They say your Medicare card will be cancelled, you owe money, or you will lose coverage unless you act now. Rushed people are more likely to share personal information or say yes to something they do not understand. Scammers spoof caller ID.
What Medicare will never do?
Medicare will never call out of the blue to ask for your Medicare number. It already has it. It will never ask for your Social Security number, bank account, or credit card by phone. Medicare will never call to sell you a plan. It does not make sales calls. Insurers and licensed agents can call about plans, but Medicare itself does not.
What to do if you get a scam call?
Do not engage. Do not confirm personal information. Do not answer yes to questions that could be recorded as agreement. Hang up without giving anything. Do not call back the number that called you.
How do I protect yourself?
Guard your Medicare number like your Social Security number. Share it only with your doctors, pharmacy, plan, and Medicare. Do not carry the card in your wallet unless you need it for an appointment. Be skeptical of unsolicited calls, texts, and emails about Medicare. Medicare will not text you asking for personal information.
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