Many Medicare beneficiaries work with a broker to navigate Medicare more easily. While most brokers are honest and make selecting a plan easier, some, however, commit Medicare fraud by scamming unwitting enrollees.
Medicare scams often ramp up during the Open Enrollment Period, from October 15 to December 7, as this is one of the few times a year adults can enroll in and change their Medicare plans. Bad actors take advantage of this timing by pretending to be brokers to gain access to your Medicare and Social Security numbers. In 2025, a data incident affected over 100,000 enrollees in Medicare who reported receiving letters about false accounts and claims made in their name.
Medicare scams can be scary. The good news is that there are signs you can look out for to determine if you’re being defrauded. Here’s what you need to know to identify scams and avoid the messy aftermath.
4 common Medicare scams to be aware of
Medicare scams can come via mail, telephone, or email. Here are a few red flags to be mindful of:
- Asking for payment for their services: Medicare brokers are compensated by the insurance companies some time after beneficiaries are enrolled in their plan. Though, brokers may ask for your payment information to pay for your plan premiums, a broker asking for payment for their service of enrolling you in a new plan is an immediate red flag and should be reported.
- Unsolicited calls or visits: Medicare representatives are unlikely to show up or call you without you first requesting it. If someone claiming to be a broker calls or visits unprompted, it’s probably to trick you into disclosing your Medicare or Social Security number.
- Offers of cheaper coverage: Like most other scams, the “cheaper offer” scam — where you’re promised additional benefits at a significantly lower cost — is another way to ask for your personal information. They may also ask for a “fee” and collect both your money and payment information.
- Claims that you need a new Medicare card: Some Medicare scammers offer you a “better” plan or claim your benefits are canceled to convince you to send them your Medicare card. This gives them access to your Medicare number, allowing them to make false claims in your name.
Remember: Medicare won’t call you unsolicited and doesn’t ask you to share your personal identifying numbers over the phone or email. If a broker is asking for these numbers or exerting pressure on you in any way, it’s a scam and should be reported immediately.
Why there’s no such thing as a free Medicare plan
Another key indicator of a Medicare scam is the promise of a “free” Medicare plan. There’s no such thing as a free plan. While some enrollees (like adults 65 and over who’ve paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years and eligible adults under 65) pay $0 for the Part A premium, other Parts of Medicare have premiums and all plans have costs, including:
- Deductibles (the amount you pay out-of-pocket before coverage begins)
- Copays (the flat amount you pay your health care provider at the time of service)
- Co-insurance once deductible is paid (Part B especially)
Though plans like Medigap can supplement some of your Original Medicare costs, those plans also have premiums and costs of their own.
How to check if your Medicare broker is legitimate
Brokers undergo training and certifications to be licensed to sell insurance. As a result, there’s a paper trail you can use to identify real brokers from scammers.
First, ask for their state license number. In order to sell insurance, every agent or broker must pass a state licensing exam. Check their license number with your state’s Department of Insurance to verify if they’re allowed to sell insurance in your state.
Then, ask for their National Producer Number (NPN) — the unique number assigned by the National Association of Insurance Carriers (NAIC) to identify valid Medicare insurance brokers. Run their NPN through the CMS registration tracker to see if their license is up to date.
At United Medicare Advisors, we ensure you know exactly who you’re dealing with. All our agents are listed on the agent page with their picture and their NPN, so you can feel confident knowing you’re dealing with a legitimate Medicare broker.
How do I report Medicare scams?
It’s important to use discernment to spot red flags, like agents asking for money, demanding your Medicare or Social Security numbers, or promising things that sound too good to be true. If you suspect you may be a victim of a Medicare broker scam, report it as soon as possible. You can:
- Report it directly to Medicare by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227)
- Submit an identity theft report to the FTC
- Inform the Senior Medicare Patrol
- Submit a hotline complaint with the Office of Inspector General.
CMS and the Department of Health and Human Services are continuing to crack down on Medicare scams and educate beneficiaries about their options if they’re the victim of Medicare fraud.
Despite bad actors, there are thousands of legitimate Medicare brokers, like United Medicare Advisors, that are ready to help you find and enroll in the plan for you. If you’re ready to start exploring plans or change coverage during open enrollment, contact us today.
