Medicare scam calls: warning signs before enrollment season

This article was created in partnership with OmniWatch, who compensated me for my time and writing services. While they covered the cost of my time, all opinions and recommendations in this article are completely my own.

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Someone called and said they were with Medicare. They said there was a problem with your coverage and that they only needed your Medicare number to fix it. You hung up, and now you’re wondering, “Was that real?”

If the call came out of the blue, it probably wasn’t Medicare. Even so, Medicare scam calls aren’t harmless. Scammers use them to get at your personal information, and they tend to get more active as fall enrollment season nears.

Here’s how to spot scam Medicare calls and what to do next.

What are Medicare scam calls?

Medicare scam calls are unsolicited calls from scammers posing as Medicare to steal your money, sensitive information, or Medicare number. They’re a type of imposter scam, a category in which people reported losing $3.5 billion in 2025, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)². One of the biggest red flags is an unexpected call asking for personal information. Medicare won’t unexpectedly call you to ask for your Medicare, Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers.

If a call has you worried your Medicare number is out there, Omniwatch’s Identity Protection services offer seniors and families a convenient option to monitor the dark web for leaks of personal information like Medicare and Social Security numbers.

Why do Medicare scam calls increase around Open Enrollment?

Medicare scam calls climb this time of year because scammers build their pitches around Open Enrollment. That’s the fall window (October 15 to December 7), also called the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), when everyone with Medicare can change their coverage for the following year. The FTC says scammers get more active around it every year. Scammers don’t always wait for October 15, either.

Here’s what Medicare Open Enrollment scams play on:

• Confusion: Real plans send notices about next year’s changes, so a message about your coverage doesn’t feel strange

• A deadline: Open Enrollment ends December 7, and scammers use that deadline to rush you into a decision

• Fear: Scammers threaten to take away your benefits, and faked caller ID can make the call look official

Is it actually illegal to call you about 2027 plans yet?

Yes. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) rules bar Medicare health and drug plans from marketing 2027 coverage before October 1, two weeks ahead of Open Enrollment (42 CFR §422.2263(a)⁵ and 423.2263(a)⁶). Plans and their agents generally can’t cold-call you about a Medicare plan at any time of the year, unless you’ve given prior permission or are a member.

What do Medicare scam callers actually say?

Medicare call scams follow a few familiar scripts—each one built to make you act before you think.

Here are three you’re likely to hear:

Medicare card scam calls may claim your card needs an update. The caller then asks for your Medicare, bank account, or credit card number to “fix it.” The FTC warns about this pitch and notes that real Medicare cards are free and arrive automatically by mail.¹

Some callers offer “free” genetic testing, then ask for your Medicare number, which they can use for identity theft or fake billing. Others push “free” medical equipment, and the Office of Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS-OIG) says some suppliers bill Medicare for items people never receive. If Medicare denies a test claim, you could owe the full amount, which may run into the thousands.⁷

This script runs on fear. The caller says your coverage will be canceled unless you confirm your information right now. The FTC advises ignoring threats to take away your benefits and says Medicare will only ask you to confirm information if you call them first.⁴

How can you tell a real Medicare call from a fake one?

The best clue with Medicare phone scams is who started the call. Medicare only calls to ask for personal information in limited situations, like returning a message you left, so an unexpected call is an instant red flag.

Here’s how a real call and a scam call usually compare:

	Real Medicare call	Scam call
Who started it	You (for example, you left a message or reported fraud)	The caller (out of the blue)
What it asks for	Verification, but only if you called first	Your Medicare, bank, or credit card number, or a payment
The pitch	No sales pitch	“Free” tests, equipment, or offers
The pressure	No threats	Threats to cancel your benefits, plus a rush to act

Tip: Don’t trust caller ID. Scammers use spoofing (faking the name or number on your screen) to appear to be Medicare. If you’re not sure, hang up and call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) yourself.

Two examples show how these Medicare call scams play out:

A Wisconsin woman’s ‘benefits terminated’ call

In late 2025, a woman in Suamico, Wisconsin, known only as Janet, spent hours on the phone with callers posing as Medicare, her pharmacy, and her doctors. They told her Medicare had ended her benefits and that they needed to update her record. So she gave in and shared her Medicare number.⁹

She later confirmed with Medicare that it was a scam and needed a new number. Days later, medical supplies she never wanted started arriving in the mail.

A retiree’s daily Medicare calls

In late August 2026, Scripps News reported on a recently retired Medicare beneficiary who gets more than a dozen Medicare-related calls in a day, even though she’s on the National Do Not Call Registry. The callers never say who they represent, and she suspects they’re scams.¹⁰

AARP Fraud Watch Network’s Amy Nofziger warns that offers of free gifts, genetic testing, or medical equipment are red flags.¹⁰

What does the law say, and how do you report it?

Several federal rules cover these calls:

• The CMS bars plans and their agents from robocalling you or sending unsolicited texts and voicemails about Medicare plans

• The FTC’s Impersonation Rule lets the agency take scammers who pose as the government to federal court and seek money back for victims

• The FTC says robocalls that try to sell you something are illegal unless you gave written permission

You don’t need to lose money to report a call. Reports help investigators track down the callers, so note the number on your caller ID, any number they told you to call back, and the date and time.

Here’s where to report:

Where to report	Best for	How to reach them
1-800-MEDICARE	Any call claiming to be Medicare, or if you shared your Medicare number	1-800-633-4227 or Medicare.gov/fraud
HHS-OIG	Suspected Medicare fraud, like charges for equipment or tests you never got	1-800-447-8477 or oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud
FTC	Scam calls, imposters, and identity theft	ReportFraud.ftc.gov; DoNotCall.gov if you lost no money; IdentityTheft.gov for identity theft
Senior Medicare Patrol	Free local help reporting fraud	1-877-808-2468 or smpresource.org

Quick checklist

Save this list for the next suspicious call:

During the call

• Hang up right away. Don’t press any buttons, since that can bring more robocalls.

• Keep your numbers private. Don’t share your Medicare number, Social Security number, or bank details with an unexpected caller.

• Ignore caller ID. It can be faked, so if you’re unsure, hang up and call 1-800-MEDICARE yourself.

• Turn down “free” offers. Say no to free tests, braces, or supplies from a caller.

If you shared something

• Call 1-800-MEDICARE. Tell them what you shared, especially your Medicare number.

• Visit IdentityTheft.gov if you gave out your Social Security number. You’ll get steps to follow, like checking, freezing, and monitoring your credit.

• Call your bank if you shared account or card details. Use the number on your statement, not the one the caller gave you.

• Check your Medicare Summary Notices or your plan’s Explanation of Benefits. These statements list what was billed, so look for charges you don’t recognize.

Afterward

• Report it. Even if you didn’t lose money, a report to 1-800-MEDICARE or ReportFraud.ftc.gov helps investigators track the callers.

• Cut down on the calls. Turn on call blocking on your phone. It’s also worth joining the National Do Not Call Registry at DoNotCall.gov, though scammers ignore that list.

Helping a parent or grandparent? For more ways to keep older loved ones safe, see our guide on protecting seniors from scams.

FAQs

How do I stop all the spam Medicare calls?

To stop spam Medicare calls, turn on your phone’s call filtering and add your number to the National Do Not Call Registry at DoNotCall.gov. Scammers ignore that list, though, so hang up on unknown callers and report them to the FTC.

Would Medicare ever call me on the phone?

Medicare might call you, but only if you reached out first. For example, if you left a message or reported fraud, someone may call you back. It won’t cold-call you to sell anything, ask for personal details, or threaten to cancel your coverage.

What happens if a scammer gets my Medicare number?

If a scammer gets your Medicare number, they can use it to bill Medicare for equipment or services you never received—and to steal your identity. Fake claims can show up on your Medicare statements, so check them for charges you don’t recognize.

How do I report a Medicare scam call?

To report a Medicare scam call, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), then tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. You don’t need to have lost money, and it helps to note the caller’s number and the date and time of the call.

Why would someone need to get a new Medicare number?

You typically need a new Medicare number only if your current one was exposed in a security incident or used fraudulently. When that happens, CMS replaces it and mails you a new card. Anyone who calls asking you to “verify” a new number is almost certainly a scammer.

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Sources

¹ Federal Trade Commission (FTC), “This Medicare Open Enrollment season, learn how to protect yourself from scams.”
² Federal Trade Commission (FTC), “FTC Data Show People Reported Losing $3.5 Billion to Imposter Scams in 2025.”
³ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), “Medicare Open Enrollment.”
⁴ Federal Trade Commission (FTC), “Stay away from scams this Medicare Open Enrollment Period.”
⁵ Code of Federal Regulations, “§ 422.2263 General marketing requirements.”
⁶ Code of Federal Regulations, “§ 423.2263 General marketing requirements.”
⁷ Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS-OIG), “Fraud Alert: Genetic Testing Scam.”
⁸ Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS-OIG), “Durable Medical Equipment: Protecting Medicare and Medicaid from Fraud, Waste, and Abuse.”
⁹ InvestigateTV, “Elaborate Medicare phone scam targets seniors.”
¹⁰ Scripps News, “‘They call 15 times a day’: Seniors inundated with Medicare calls ahead of open enrollment.”
¹¹ Federal Trade Commission (FTC), “Robocalls.”

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This guide is published by OmniWatch. Follow OmniWatch on Facebook for ongoing guidance on identity protection, digital safety, and scam awareness.