The phone rings. The caller sounds friendly and official, says they are “from Medicare,” and explains that your client’s card is being replaced. All they need to do is confirm their Medicare number. It sounds routine, and that is exactly why it works.
Variations of this call reach older adults every week. Whether you are a care manager, a financial planner, a home care owner or an elder law attorney, you are often one of the few people a client trusts enough to ask, “Is this real?” A few clear talking points can stop it cold.
How the call works
The script changes, but the goal is always the same: get the Medicare number, and sometimes a Social Security or bank number too. Common openings include:
- “Your card is expiring and we need to send you a new one.”
- “You qualify for a new plastic or chip-enabled card.”
- “There is a problem with your benefits that needs to be fixed today.”
- “You are owed a refund, we just need to verify your number.”
Once a scammer has the number, it can be used to bill for services or equipment the person never received, and untangling that can take months.
Medicare will not call out of the blue to ask for a Medicare number, Social Security number or bank information. If someone does, it is not Medicare.
The one rule
What to tell your clients
Keep the message short enough to remember under pressure. Many professionals share a simple three-step script:
- Stop. Do not confirm any numbers, even partially, and do not press any keys.
- Hang up. It is not rude. A real agency will never mind.
- Call back on a number you already know, such as the one on the back of the card or 1-800-MEDICARE, or call someone you trust first.
It also helps to remind clients that Medicare cards are free. Anyone asking for a fee to “replace” or “upgrade” a card is running a scam.
If a client already shared their number
It happens, and shame keeps people from speaking up. Make it easy to tell you. Then help them report it to 1-800-MEDICARE, review their Medicare Summary Notices for services they did not receive, and watch for unfamiliar charges over the following months.
Make it part of your routine
The professionals who are most effective here do not wait for a crisis. They mention the scam at intake, leave a printed reminder next to the phone, and bring it up again during open enrollment season, when these calls tend to spike.
What has worked with your clients? Share your talking points with the AgePros community so other members can use them too.
