Fraudsters aim to obtain sensitive personal or financial details for identity fraud or direct theft. To counteract a Medicare card deception, adhere to some fundamental safety measures.
Medicare never initiates calls to solicit private or confidential details to issue a new Medicare card, nor does it impose a fee for a replacement card. Should you receive a phone call insisting on a payment for a new or enhanced Medicare card, recognize it as a fraudulent attempt.
Formerly, Medicare cards displayed your Social Security Number, but now they feature a unique Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) number.
There’s no requirement for Medicare to “confirm” your details, and they will not intimidate you with benefit termination. If you encounter an unsolicited phone call from an individual purporting to be a Medicare representative asking for your personal details, disconnect the call at once.
Avoid assuming a caller is an official Medicare employee merely because they possess some knowledge about you. Fraudsters typically conduct thorough research ahead of time.
