Seniors should beware Medicare card scam
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By Christa Jennings
Senior Staff Writer
A Coosa County resident recently received a call that she recognized as a scam, and she wants other senior citizens to also be mindful of such potential scams so that they do not become victims.
The local citizen, who wishes to remain anonymous, stated that she received a call claiming her Medicare card was expired. She recognized it as a scam and believed it might just be starting to reach the Coosa County area.
Those on Medicare should be aware that any calls claiming that their Medicare card is expired or requires a new one with a chip is a scam. Medicare cards never expire, there is no plastic card with a chip, and Medicare will not call to obtain anyone’s personal information such as their Medicare number, Social Security number, or banking details to order a new card.
To protect themselves seniors are advised to not provide their Medicare or Social Security number to such callers, hang up on suspicious calls and report any such incidents to the Senior Medicare Patrol at 1-800-MEDICARE, or 1-800-633-4227, and to the Federal Trade Commission at identitytheft.gov.
Additionally, Medicare recipients can call Medicare directly at the number on their official card or visit Medicare.gov for legitimate Medicare information or to report a scam.
Individuals are also advised to treat their Medicare and Social Security numbers like a credit card since they are not for public use, and the information needs to be guarded.
In addition to calls, neither Medicare or the Social Security Administration will send a text or ask anyone to click a link in an email for personal information.
While standard government-issued Medicare cards do not expire and remain valid for life as long as the recipient is eligible for benefits, recipients will receive a new paper card if their personal information changes or if they enroll in a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan, which provides separate cards for those specific plans.
If a recipient has questions about their Medicare coverage or needs to update their information, they can visit the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services website at www.cms.gov or call them directly at 1-800-633-4227 or visit the official website at Medicare.gov.
