Scam alert
A Caller Offers a Medicare Grocery Card? Hang Up
Posted
Nationwide · iowafraudfighters.gov · Arrives by a phone call
The short answer
Hang up on a caller who says Medicare will give you a grocery card or a monthly food allowance. Original Medicare does not offer a grocery card. AARP explains that some private Medicare Advantage plans include a limited allowance for certain eligible members, but you find that out from your plan or by comparing plans yourself, not from a stranger who needs your Medicare number first. Open enrollment runs from October 15 to December 7, and Iowa's insurance regulator reminded people on September 23, 2026 that cold calls and door-knocking to sell plans are not allowed. To check a benefit, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) yourself.
What is happening
Calls and ads promising older adults a free Medicare grocery card have circulated through 2026. In February, NC Cooperative Extension's Chowan County office described callers who named a Medicare grocery program that does not exist, promised hundreds of dollars a month, and set a deadline to rush people into answering. Pitches like this tend to grow before Medicare's annual open enrollment, which runs from October 15 to December 7. On September 23, 2026, the Iowa Department of Insurance and Financial Services listed what to expect this season: promises of free items for changing plans, offers to renew or upgrade a Medicare card, and threats to cancel coverage. The grocery card is a distortion of something narrower. AARP notes that flex cards are not an Original Medicare benefit; they come from some private Medicare Advantage plans, for certain members and limited uses. A caller who wants your Medicare or Social Security number to check eligibility may be after the number itself, or after moving you into a different plan without your clear agreement.
How to recognize it
- The caller says Medicare, or a new law, is giving people a grocery card or a monthly food allowance.
- You are told everyone on Medicare qualifies, or that the offer ends soon.
- They need your Medicare number, Social Security number, or bank details to confirm you are eligible.
- The call is unexpected, and it comes in the weeks around open enrollment, October 15 to December 7.
- They offer to switch your plan for you during the call, or say your coverage will be cancelled if you do not act.
What to do instead
- Hang up. Medicare does not call to sign you up for a benefit you did not ask about.
- Do not confirm your Medicare number, Social Security number, or bank details on a call you did not place.
- If you want to know whether a plan includes a food or flex allowance, compare plans yourself at Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
- For free, unbiased help comparing plans, contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).
- Do not let anyone change your plan during an unexpected call. A change during open enrollment is yours to make, when you choose.
If it already happened
Responding to one of these is common and understandable. These steps are what people usually take next.
- Call 1-800-MEDICARE and say your Medicare number may have been shared, so they can watch the account and advise on a replacement card.
- If your plan may have been changed, ask 1-800-MEDICARE which plan you are enrolled in now.
- Look at your Medicare Summary Notice or plan statements for services you did not receive.
- Tell your bank if you shared account details. Report the call at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, or to the Senior Medicare Patrol on 1-877-808-2468.
Common questions
- Is there a real Medicare grocery card?
- Not from Original Medicare. Some private Medicare Advantage plans include a limited allowance for groceries or other items, usually only for members who meet the plan's conditions. It is a feature of a particular plan, not a card Medicare sends to everyone.
- Why am I getting these calls now?
- Medicare's open enrollment runs from October 15 to December 7, when people can change plans, and Iowa's insurance regulator published a warning on September 23, 2026 about the scams that come with it. An unexpected call about next year's coverage is the part to be wary of.
- The caller already knew my name and address. Does that make it real?
- No. Names and addresses are easy to buy or look up. What a real Medicare contact does not need is for you to read out your Medicare number on a call you did not place. If in doubt, hang up and ring 1-800-MEDICARE yourself.
Practice this safely
Practice hanging up on a benefit offer that needs your Medicare number first, then checking it on a number you already have.
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A Caller Offers a Medicare Grocery Card? Hang Up Hang up on a caller who says Medicare will give you a grocery card or a monthly food allowance. Original Medicare does not offer a grocery card. AARP explains that some private Medicare Advantage plans include a limited allowance for certain eligible members, but you find that out from your plan or by comparing plans yourself, not from a stranger who needs your Medicare number first. Open enrollment runs from October 15 to December 7, and Iowa's insurance regulator reminded people on September 23, 2026 that cold calls and door-knocking to sell plans are not allowed. To check a benefit, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) yourself. Read the full alert: https://endscamsproject.com/latest-scams/medicare-grocery-card-calls
Where this comes from
These links open the published sources in a new tab. The destination is shown before you open it.
- Iowa Department of Insurance and Financial Services: Fraud during the open enrollment period (September 23, 2026) (opens in a new tab)
iowafraudfighters.gov
- NC Cooperative Extension, Chowan County: Medicare scam alert (February 13, 2026) (opens in a new tab)
chowan.ces.ncsu.edu
- AARP: Medicare flex card scams (opens in a new tab)
aarp.org
- Report fraud to the Federal Trade Commission (opens in a new tab)
ReportFraud.ftc.gov
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This alert provides general educational information drawn from the sources above. It cannot determine whether a specific message you received is genuine, investigate an incident, or promise recovery or reimbursement.