ALERT: Medicare Scam Spreading Like WILDFIRE Across America… Here’s What You Need To Know
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Millions of people 65 or older will soon get new Medicare cards to prevent identity theft, but fraudsters are exploiting the nationwide rollout to try and fleece seniors into revealing personal information, according to reports.
Social Security numbers aren’t being printed on the new cards. Instead, they will contain 11-digit personal identifiers with numbers and letters. As of this month, the new cards are being sent to the nation’s 58 million Medicare recipients, Fox News reports.
But now con artists are cold calling seniors around the U.S. about the new cards, the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud reported. They’re trying to steal seniors’ Social Security numbers, bank account numbers and credit card information.
“They’re sneaky. Very sneaky,” Virginia Baize, of Muncie, Ind., told WTHR-TV last week.
As she and her husband wait to get their new Medicare cards they have noticed an increase in phone solicitations from scammers posing as telemarketers, the station reported.
They told the station about one guy who called recently, saying he was from a Medicare senior group.
“He kept saying to me, kept repeating, ‘I need your red and blue card number. I need that number off your red and blue card,’” Virginia said. “He said the change is coming in spring for new cards and you need to use this now.”
The caller never got their personal information. He got angry and threatened to revoke their health insurance, the station reported.
“I told him ‘You can’t do that,’ and I hung up on him. I really think people are trying to take advantage of us,” Virginia said.
Your Medicare card
When you’re enrolled in Medicare, you’ll get your red, white, and blue Medicare card in the mail. If you’re automatically enrolled, you’ll get your red, white, and blue Medicare card in the mail 3 months before your 65th birthday or your 25th month of getting disability benefits. Your Medicare card shows that you have Medicare health insurance. It shows whether you have Part A (Hospital Insurance), Part B (Medical Insurance) or both, and it shows the date your coverage starts.Be sure to carry your card with you when you’re away from home. Let your doctor, hospital, or other health care provider see your card when you need hospital, medical or other health services.