Help NowStart Practice

Scam alert

A Caller Says They Are From Medicare? Check First

Published · West Virginia · ago.wv.gov · Arrives by a phone call

The short answer

An unexpected caller who says they are from Medicare, and then asks for your Medicare number, a payment, or a new-card fee, is not Medicare. The West Virginia Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division listed Medicare impersonation as the most-reported scam in August 2026, ahead of 400 other complaints that month, and it has led the state's list through 2025 as well. The Federal Trade Commission's standing rule matches what the state is seeing: Medicare will not call or text to ask for money, and it will not ask you to confirm your Medicare number on an unsolicited call. Hang up and, if you want to check anything, call 1-800-MEDICARE yourself.

What is happening

West Virginia Attorney General John B. McCuskey's office published its August 2026 ranking on the state's Latest Scams page: of 401 reports that month, Medicare scams were first, ahead of state-representative impersonation, robocalls, phishing, and sweepstakes. WV News and other outlets carried the same ranking in early September. The pattern itself is older than this month's numbers. The FTC's consumer alert on Medicare impersonators is that callers, emails, and texts surprise people with a story about benefits, a new card, or free equipment, then ask for the Medicare number or for payment by gift card, wire, or cryptocurrency. Medicare cards are free. Benefits are not enrolled over an unexpected call. The number on the screen can be made to look local or official, which is why the state's own advice is not to trust caller ID.

How to recognize it

  • The caller says they are from Medicare, a health plan, or a clinic you did not contact.
  • They ask you to confirm your Medicare number, Social Security number, or bank details.
  • They offer a new card, extra benefits, or free equipment if you share that number.
  • They want payment by gift card, wire, cryptocurrency, or a payment app.
  • Caller ID shows a familiar or official-looking number, and the pressure is to stay on the line.

What to do instead

  1. Hang up. Medicare does not need you to stay on an unexpected call.
  2. If you want to check a benefit, a card, or a claim, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) yourself.
  3. Do not confirm a Medicare number, a Social Security number, or a bank detail on a call you did not place.
  4. Treat offers of free equipment or a replacement card the same way: those are arranged through a doctor or by calling Medicare, not by a surprise caller.
  5. In West Virginia you can also ring the Attorney General's consumer hotline on 1-800-368-8808.

If it already happened

Responding to one of these is common and understandable. These steps are what people usually take next.

  1. Call 1-800-MEDICARE and say the number may have been shared, so they can watch the account and advise on a replacement card.
  2. Tell your bank if you paid anything or shared account details.
  3. Look at your Medicare Summary Notice for claims you do not recognize.
  4. Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. In West Virginia, the Attorney General's consumer line is 1-800-368-8808.
Open Help Now

Common questions

Does Medicare ever call beneficiaries?
Rarely, and not to ask for your Medicare number or to sell a benefit. If a call might be a follow-up on something you started, the check is to hang up and ring 1-800-MEDICARE yourself.
The number on the screen looked official. How can that not be Medicare?
Caller ID shows whatever the calling system sends, including a real-looking agency number. West Virginia's attorney general has been repeating that point alongside this ranking. The number on the screen is not proof of who is calling.
They offered a back brace or a new card for free. Is that ever real?
A real benefit or a replacement card is arranged through your doctor or by calling Medicare, and the card itself is free. An unexpected caller who needs your number first is asking for the billing credential, not delivering a benefit.

Practice this safely

Practice hanging up on a Medicare caller and ringing 1-800-MEDICARE on a number you already have.

Every story is fictional. There is no timer, no score, and no real message, payment, or account.

Start the four-story practice

Tell someone

Copy a short note you can paste into a text or email. It names the scam, the next step, and this page. Nothing is sent from this site.

A Caller Says They Are From Medicare? Check First

An unexpected caller who says they are from Medicare, and then asks for your Medicare number, a payment, or a new-card fee, is not Medicare. The West Virginia Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division listed Medicare impersonation as the most-reported scam in August 2026, ahead of 400 other complaints that month, and it has led the state's list through 2025 as well. The Federal Trade Commission's standing rule matches what the state is seeing: Medicare will not call or text to ask for money, and it will not ask you to confirm your Medicare number on an unsolicited call. Hang up and, if you want to check anything, call 1-800-MEDICARE yourself.

Read the full alert: https://endscamsproject.com/latest-scams/medicare-impersonation-calls

Where this comes from

These links open the published sources in a new tab. The destination is shown before you open it.

The full guide on this

More recent alerts

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.