Medicare scam calls are surging, here’s how you can protect yourself

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LEHI — Debbie Worthington’s phone won’t stop ringing. Her ringtone, Kenny Rogers’ classic “The Gambler,” has started to feel less like a favorite song and more like an endless loop — because the calls never seem to stop.

Worthington says the calls almost always start the same way: a friendly voice on the line claiming to offer information about Medicare benefits, supplemental insurance, or prescription coverage.

“Every single time, they ask if you have Part A and B,” she said.

But these calls are not from Medicare. In fact, federal law strictly prohibits Medicare from cold-calling beneficiaries. That means the moment someone calls unexpectedly about Medicare, it’s already a scam.

“I am just so tired of having phone calls,” Worthington said.

How the scams work

The goal isn’t just to pester seniors like Worthington — it’s to steal their Medicare number. With that number in hand, scammers can bill the government for wheelchairs, braces, medical equipment, lab tests, and other items the victim never ordered and never wanted.

The fraud is costly. The Department of Justice estimates Medicare fraud drains around $60 billion from the system each year — money that ultimately comes from taxpayers.

Worthington says blocking the calls doesn’t solve the problem. “You can block them, but they go around to a different phone number,” she said.

She even installed an app designed to filter spam, but it hasn’t stopped the calls. Instead, she’s left screening incoming numbers, which causes her to miss important calls she actually needs.

A seasonal surge

These scams often surge during Medicare’s open enrollment season, when seniors are making decisions about their coverage. Officials warn that beneficiaries should never give out their Medicare number over the phone unless they placed the call themselves to a trusted provider.

Medicare also urges people to report suspicious calls by dialing 1-800-MEDICARE.

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