Seniors Need To Watch Out For Fake Plastic Medicare Cards
Seniors are being cautioned to not fall for a new Medicare scam aimed at taking their money and identity. Medicare is advising anyone who receives a "new" plastic Medicare card in the mail to be aware that it is fake.
The cards look official. They are laminated, glossy and sometimes are even stamped with a convincing looking hologram image. Many seniors trust documents that look official and scammers know it. But the main point to remember is Medicare does not issue plastic cards; they use paper only.
Scammers send out plastic cards because they look more “official” than the real paper ones, making the Medicare card scam easier to believe. The letter or insert usually claims you must “verify your identity” to activate the new card. Once you call the number, the scammer asks for your Social Security number, Medicare number, or banking information.
The scammers may call with a spoofed government phone number, and the caller may sound official. If you get such a call, hangup and look up the real number for Medicare.
Callers may also issue an urgent warning that you must act quickly, or you will face penalties or lose coverage if you don’t respond. They want you to panic.
Any details you give the caller can be used to open credit accounts, file false tax returns, or bill Medicare for services you never received. The entire goal is to trick you into handing over personal information you would never normally share.
Medicare notes that they will never send you a plastic card, never ask for your Social Security number, and never pressure you to act quickly.
According to the U.S. Senate Committee on Aging, Medicare-related scams are among the top five consumer fraud categories every year — costing seniors over $100 million annually.
The Senior Medicare Petrol cautions seniors to report potential Medicare card scams if:
- Someone calls you claiming:
- You are getting a new, plastic Medicare card.
- Medicare is switching to a card with chip in it.
- There is a new Medicare.
- It’s a new year so you need a new card.
- You need a black and white card.
- They need your Medicare number to see if you have received your new one yet.
- They need you to verify your Medicare number so they can confirm you have the correct Medicare card.
Medicare fraud is rampant. Never give out your personal information.
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