people callong me about new medicare benefits askkng what onsurance i have

Someone calls claiming to be from Medicare and says your Medicare number and credit card information are needed to sign you up for health coverage. Solution: Hang up the phone. “Anyone calling saying they’re an official Medicare agent selling you insurance is a scammer,” Adler says. Medicare does not call beneficiaries to sign them up.

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Does Medicare call you to update your information?

Oct 28, 2021 · Additionally, Medicare cards do not expire; rather, they are automatically renewed. If you have questions about renewal, need to replace a lost card, or want to report a Medicare scam number, you ...

Why did I get a new Medicare card this year?

May 29, 2019 · If someone asks you for your information, for money, or threatens to cancel your health benefits if you don't share your personal information, hang up and call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). For more information visit www.medicare.gov/fraud. You can always file consumer complaints about phone scams with the FCC or the FTC.

Does Medicare call you when you call?

Apr 13, 2017 · A Medicare recipient will get a phone call from someone claiming to work for the Center of Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Social Security Administration or an insurance provider. The caller claims new cards from one of these agencies are in the works, and they need you to update your information on file. From there, the scammer will ask for your banking …

What are the questions to ask when new to Medicare?

Aug 25, 2021 · The phone number is 1-888-382-1222. You can also register your phone number online as well, but you’ll need to be sure you have an email account to do so. Also, register both your cell phone and home phone to put an end to the calls. If you find you’re still getting spam calls 31 days after you register with the Do Not Call list, file a ...

Why am I getting calls about a new Medicare card?

Why am I getting so many phone calls about Medicare?

Does Medicare contact you by phone?

Are the calls about Medicare legit?

Does Medicare make unsolicited phone calls?

How do I stop getting calls from senior benefits?

How does Medicare contact?

How to get a new Medicare card?

Medicare has posted information about the new cards. You should know: 1 There is no fee for the new card; it will be mailed to you automatically as long as your address is up to date. 2 Medicare will never call you uninvited to request personal or private information in order for you to get your new Medicare number and card. 3 If someone asks you for your information, for money, or threatens to cancel your health benefits if you don't share your personal information, hang up and call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). For more information visit www.medicare.gov/fraud.

When will Medicare start sending new cards?

In April, Medicare began sending its members new cards with unique eleven-digit account numbers, ending the previous reliance on SSA numbers. The transition to new cards and numbers is ongoing and is scheduled to be completed in December of 2019.

Can Medicare call you uninvited?

Medicare will never call you uninvited to request personal or private information in order for you to get your new Medicare number and card.

Can Medicare fraud steal your money?

Medicare scammers may use different angles in attempts to steal your money or your identity: Some callers may request payment for the new Medicare card, according to a Detroit Free Press article. Others may pose as medical insurers and threaten to cancel your insurance if you don't share information from the new card. If successful, these identity thieves can use a beneficiary's information to file false claims, fill prescriptions, or sell it to other bad actors on the dark web.

What does it mean when someone calls you about Medicare?

A Medicare recipient will get a phone call from someone claiming to work for the Center of Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Social Security Administration or an insurance provider. The caller claims new cards from one of these agencies are in the works, and they need you to update your information on file.

What to do if you receive a call that sounds like the one described above?

If you receive a call that sounds like the one described above, hang up immediately and report it .

What happens at the end of a scam phone call?

By the end of the short phone call, the scammer will have enough information to make fraudulent purchases and steal your identity.

Is Medicare a scam?

Medicare recipients beware: Scammers have a new way of getting your personal information that could empty your bank account and help them steal your identity. The scammers are targeting mostly senior citizens, and the scam has become so widespread that the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office issued a warning about it.

Does Medicare ask for ID number?

Remember, the Center of Medicare and Medicaid Services will not call you and ask to verify your ID number, nor will it ask for payment information because new cards are free.

What to do if you think Medicare is calling you?

If you think the call is from Medicare, hang up and call them back at the national number. Then, if it was one of them, they can help you. However, if Medicare isn’t attempting to reach you, then you avoid a spammer trying to steal your information. Telemarketing calls attempt to commit fraud and theft.

What to do if you get a call from someone who claims to be Medicare?

If you get calls from someone claiming to be Medicare, get a name and phone number, and call Medicare to make a report.

How to report a fraudulent call to Medicare?

How to Report a Medicare Call. You can report a fraudulent call from someone claiming they worked for Medicare by going to the FTC Complaint Assistant. You can help protect yourself from fraudulent activities by never offering credit card or personal information to anyone.

Is Medicare a spam?

Spammers found a niche in claiming to be Medicare, so if you get a call from a person saying they’re with Medicare, you can guarantee it’s spam. You may also find that you’ll start getting spammy emails in your inbox – if it sounds suspicious, it more than likely is! Please do not reply to any emails seeking personal information, and be sure to report it as spam immediately. You should never share your Medicare Identifier or Social Security number with a stranger.

Can you get information from Medicare if you have Social Security?

When enrolling in Medicare, you should be aware that neither Social Security nor Medicare calls you to get information. Should any issue arise in which Medicare or Social Security needs any information from you, they’ll ALWAYS send you a letter to notify you. If you’re getting too many spam phone calls, you might want to get on ...

Will Medicare call you?

Medicare will never call you! Medicare may need information from you or may need to reach you; but, they’ll NEVER call. You’ll get a letter that will notify you of the necessary information that Medicare needs. Long story short, if the calls you’re receiving claim to be from Medicare, it’s a spam call.

Can Medicare call you asking for bank information?

In either of these scenarios or similar situations, do not give out your personal information. Medicare will never call you asking for bank information or credit card numbers.

Can a customer service representative refuse to give out a physical address?

The customer service representative’s refusal to give out a physical address for the company or other identifying information makes this very suspicious. A legitimate company will never refuse to give this information to its’ potential customers.

Is Medicare a scam?

Medicare Scam Calls: How They Work. It’s a universal fact that criminals have no shame while Medicare scam calls that target the elderly are the lowest of the low. Seniors across the nation are reporting a new Medicare telemarketing fraud, which comes in a few variations. Some of the examples reported are in regards to a fake Life Alert ...

What to do if you call 1-800-MEDICARE?

If you called 1-800-MEDICARE and left a message, a representative can call you back.

How to contact Medicare for scam calls?

After receiving a Medicare scam phone call that asks for your Medicare number or other personal information, reach out to 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) — TTY: 1-877-486-2048.

What do you get as a subscriber?

As a subscriber, you'll receive videos, free downloadable resources, and educational content straight to your email inbox.

Do you need to activate a Medicare card?

Because many Medicare recipients have received new Medicare cards since 2018, scam calls encouraging the “activation” of these cards are on the rise. You do not need to activate a Medicare card, update your information, or pay any kind of fee to use your new card once you receive it.

Can Medicare show up at my home?

Medicare will never show up at your home unannounced or give you a call that you were not expecting. If Medicare offices need to contact you, you will likely receive an official letter at your primary address prompting you to set up an appointment to talk with a representative.

Who can give personal information to Medicare?

The bottom line — only give your personal information to those who you can guarantee are real people trying to help you, like doctors, insurers, or trusted Medicare professionals.

Does Medicare have a Social Security number on the back?

To help prevent against identity theft, Medicare has issued new cards to recipients that have your Medicare number instead of your Social Security number on the back .

Why did Medicare give out new cards?

En español | From April 2018 to January 2019, the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services sent every Medicare beneficiary a new card designed to better protect against identity theft. Where the previous cards showed your Social Security number, the new cards utilize a unique, randomly assigned combination of numbers and letters called a Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI). But the new approach hasn’t stopped criminals from targeting older Americans.

Why don't you believe a Medicare caller is a Medicare employee?

Don’t believe a caller is a Medicare employee simply because he or she knows some information about you. Scammers will have done their homework.

What did the scammers do during the Medicare rollout?

During the rollout, scammers impersonating Medicare employees called many beneficiaries, telling them they needed to verify personal information or pay a processing fee to get their new card. Once the rollout was complete, the fraudsters switched gears, adopting variations on the con that claim you need to replace or upgrade your Medicare card.

How to destroy old Medicare card?

Do destroy your old Medicare card, if you haven’t already. Run it through a shredder, or cut it up with scissors (making sure to mutilate the part with your Social Security number).

Can someone threaten to cancel Medicare?

Someone threatens to cancel your Medicare coverage unless you provide personal information over the phone.

Can you share your Social Security number?

Don’t share your Medicare or Social Security number (or other personal information) with anyone who contacts you out of the blue by phone, text or email or shows up unannounced at your door.

Who should give Medicare numbers?

According to Medicare.gov, beneficiaries should only give private information (including their Medicare Number) to their doctors, insurers acting on their behalf, and trusted people in the community who work with Medicare, such as State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) counselors.

How to contact Medicare customer service?

You may always contact the customer service number on the back of your Medicare card if you have any questions or concerns. If you think you may have provided personal information to a fraudulent caller or believe you are a victim of identity theft, report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) online at IdentityTheft.gov or by calling the ID Theft Hotline at 1-877-438-4338.

What to do if my Medicare card is lost?

If your card is lost or destroyed, contact the SSA directly to request a replacement. If you think someone else is fraudulently using your Medicare card, then call Medicare directly at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

What should Medicare beneficiaries be wary of?

Medicare beneficiaries should be wary of the following schemes: Attempts to “verify your identity.”. Someone calls to tell you that you must provide identifying information to receive a new or updated Medicare card. They may even tell you there’s a charge for the new card and request a credit card number as well.

When is the Medicare open enrollment period?

Medicare beneficiaries are targeted by scammers and identity thieves all year long, but fraudulent activity tends to increase around the Medicare Open Enrollment (MOE) period that runs from October 15 to December 7 each year. Protect yourself and your loved ones by learning about the most common Medicare scams and how to determine whether ...

Is Medicare card scam?

Scams surrounding new Medicare cards are likely to be on the rise since CMS began working on issuing new cards to beneficiaries in April 2018. These new cards were issued to improve beneficiaries’ protection from identity theft, but the change also provides an excellent opportunity for dishonest people to benefit from confusion surrounding the process.

Do Medicare beneficiaries have to update their information?

Medicare beneficiaries do NOT need to update their information, pay a fee or take any other action to receive or “activate” their new cards. Updated cards were mailed out automatically and the transition has been completed. Browse Our Free. Senior Care Guides.

What do scammers call Medicare?

Scam operators (many with foreign accents) call beneficiaries claiming to represent Medicare. They may say that new Medicare benefits cards are being issued and threaten to cancel Medicare coverage unless the beneficiary’s information is updated; claim they can improve benefits; “verify” your new Medicare card number to make sure you received your card; tell you to send in your old one, or claim they are selling Medicare policies. The caller might even ask for your information to send you a gift card. Sometimes, they’re selling phony products such as supplemental or prescription drug Medicare plans.

What is the purpose of Medicare scam calls?

The whole purpose of all of these calls is to obtain your personal information, whether that is your Medicare card number, your Social Security number, or banking information. Some of these scammers even have the technological ability to make the call appear on caller ID as if it is coming from an official place.

How to avoid Medicare scam?

To avoid this scam, keep records of dates when you receive health care services to compare against bills, save receipts or statements, and keep track of quarterly Medicare Summary Notices to make sure you actually got what Medicare paid for. When in doubt, contact the billing department where the services were received or your insurance provider to make sure the charges are valid.

What happens if you have a fraudulent Medicare account?

If Medicare suspects malicious activity with an account, the person with coverage could be held accountable and wind up spending thousands in legal fees to resolve the issue. Protect yourself and your loved ones from these Medicare scams.

Can you get counterfeit medical bills from a doctor?

You may receive counterfeit sales materials, offers for discounted prescription drug plans, or supplemental Medicare coverage, or bills from an unknown hospital, doctor, or medical supplier through the mail. The scammers know that many people will just pay the bills.

Does Medicare give free braces?

According to AARP, “Telemarketers call beneficiaries with offers of free state-of-the-art braces to relieve joint pain. Instead, consumers receive a package of the ordinary ankle or knee wraps (or nothing at all ), but Medicare gets a bill for thousands of dollars.”. If someone calls and says they’re from Medicare and offers you a “free” ...

Does Medicare pay for genetic testing?

Medicare does not pay for random genetic testing. If you randomly receive a genetic testing kit in the mail, simply return to the sender.