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Scam alert

A Caller Says They Are From Medicare? Hang Up, Call 1-800-MEDICARE

Updated · First posted

West Virginia · michigan.gov · Arrives by a phone call

The short answer

An unexpected call, text, letter, or home visit from someone who says they are from Medicare and wants your Medicare number, a payment, or says you must join a Part D drug plan is a sign of a scam. On October 12, 2026, Michigan's insurance and health departments said the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will never call or send someone to your home, and that Part D is voluntary. Medicare Open Enrollment runs October 15 through December 7, 2026. Caller ID can be faked. Hang up and call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) yourself.

What is happening

In October 2026, ahead of Medicare Open Enrollment (October 15 to December 7), Michigan's Department of Insurance and Financial Services and Department of Health and Human Services warned older adults about Medicare scams, and in Wisconsin, WMTV reported that the Better Business Bureau heard from a Dodge County woman whose caller said her Medicare information was out of date and needed to be verified. Other reports to the BBB describe texts saying health benefits are about to expire, and in one case a person posing as a representative asked for payment to verify the information. Earlier, the West Virginia Attorney General's office ranked Medicare scams first among 401 reports in August 2026, and the FTC says Medicare will not call or text to ask for money or to confirm your Medicare number.

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.
  • A text says your health benefits are about to expire, or someone tells you that you must join a Part D drug plan or lose your Medicare coverage. Michigan's regulators say Part D is voluntary.
  • A postcard or mailing looks like a government notice or says it is authorized by Medicare.

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.
  6. In Michigan, report Medicare impersonators to the Michigan Senior Medicare Patrol at 844-677-6424 or to DIFS at 877-999-6442. For free help comparing plans, MI Options is at 800-803-7174.

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.
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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.

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A Caller Says They Are From Medicare? Hang Up, Call 1-800-MEDICARE

An unexpected call, text, letter, or home visit from someone who says they are from Medicare and wants your Medicare number, a payment, or says you must join a Part D drug plan is a sign of a scam. On October 12, 2026, Michigan's insurance and health departments said the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will never call or send someone to your home, and that Part D is voluntary. Medicare Open Enrollment runs October 15 through December 7, 2026. Caller ID can be faked. Hang up and call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) yourself.

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

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