How do I avoid Medicare scams?
The short answer
Medicare scams often involve callers pretending to be from Medicare and asking for your Medicare number or personal information. Medicare will almost never call you out of the blue. Hang up, don't share your information, and report suspicious contacts.
The full explanation
Medicare scams are widespread and specifically target older adults. The most common version involves a caller claiming to be from Medicare, a government agency, or a hospital, saying you need to verify your Medicare number to receive a new card, a free benefit, or to avoid losing coverage. None of that is how Medicare actually works.Here's the core rule: Medicare does not call you to ask for your Medicare number, Social Security number, or bank information. If someone calls claiming to be from Medicare and asks for any of that, it's a scam.Other common tactics include offering free medical equipment, genetic testing, or extra benefits in exchange for your Medicare number. Once scammers have your number, they can bill Medicare for services you never received. You could see unfamiliar claims on your Medicare Summary Notice (a statement Medicare mails quarterly), which is one way to catch fraud.How to protect yourself. Never give your Medicare number to anyone who contacts you first, whether by phone, text, email, or at the door. Review your Medicare Summary Notices when they arrive and flag anything that doesn't look familiar. You can also create a Medicare.gov account to check your claims online more frequently.If you suspect fraud or a scam, report it to 1-800-MEDICARE or the Office of Inspector General at 1-800-HHS-TIPS. You can also contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program for guidance.
Related Medicare Resources
In
Utah
specifically
Utah residents can report Medicare fraud to Utah's ADRC or directly to 1-800-MEDICARE. If you've received a suspicious call, a free ADRC counselor can help you figure out whether it was legitimate and what to do next.
What this means for you
For you, this means guarding your Medicare number like a credit card number. Sharing it with the wrong person can lead to fraudulent billing that complicates your coverage and takes time to resolve.
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