(WDNews) — Medicare recipients across the country are being warned about a growing scam falsely claiming that “new,” “plastic,” or “chip” Medicare cards are being mailed out. Officials say the calls, texts, and messages are fraudulent and part of an effort to steal personal information.
The Better Business Bureau and Senior Medicare Patrol report a rise in fake calls targeting seniors during the open enrollment period. Scammers are posing as Medicare representatives and urging people to provide their Medicare number, Social Security number, or bank details to receive a “new card.”
In reality, no new Medicare cards are being issued in 2025 or any upcoming year unless a person specifically requests a replacement. The last national card update occurred in 2019, when Social Security numbers were removed from cards for security reasons.
Officials remind the public that Medicare will never call, text, or email to ask for personal or banking information. Anyone who receives such a message should hang up immediately and report it.
Common scam phrases include:
- “You need to update your Medicare card for 2025.”
- “We’re issuing new chip or plastic Medicare cards.”
- “Your old card is expiring.”
- “You must pay a small fee for a replacement card.”
These statements are false. Medicare cards do not expire, and there are no upgrade or replacement fees.
If you believe your information has been compromised, you can report it at Medicare.gov or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). To report scam activity, contact the Senior Medicare Patrol at 334-242-5743 or 1-800-243-5463.
Officials urge beneficiaries to stay alert and remind loved ones that legitimate Medicare representatives will never pressure anyone to share personal details over the phone.
