As reported by the Town of Ancram and a Taghkanic resident, seniors in our area are getting phone calls (and sometimes letters or in person visits) from scam artists claiming to be from Medicare asking if you have gotten your new Medicare card in the mail. If you stay on the line and talk to the caller, you will be asked for your Medicare number or Social Security number so the person on the phone can make sure your new card is sent as soon as possible. The scam is that there is no new card that you should have gotten unless you recently signed up for Medicare and are expecting your initial card, or you had reported your card lost and requested a new one.
In either case, Medicare would not be calling you to see if you got your new card,
If you give the caller your personal information, you run the risk of false charges being made to your Medicare account or having your identity stolen.
If you get a call from someone asking about your new Medicare card, just hang up!
Here are the 7 most common Medicare scams to avoid:
You need a new card.
Your coverage is about to be cancelled.
You qualify for special deals.
You can get free genetic testing.
You qualify for free medical supplies.
You are eligible for a refund.
You are pre-approved for a cheaper or better plan.