Every year, the days between October 15th and December 7th bring more than just a chance to change your Medicare coverage. This window, called Medicare Open Enrollment or the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), is also the busiest season for Medicare scam calls. In 2026, fraud tactics are harder to spot than ever, including phone calls that use artificial intelligence to copy a real person’s voice.
If you or someone you love has Medicare, knowing these warning signs can protect your coverage and your money. This is especially true for caregivers helping a parent or spouse manage their plan, since scammers often exploit confusion among family members to obtain personal details. Here is what is spiking this AEP and how to stay safe.
AEP runs from October 15 through December 7 each year. During this time, Medicare.gov confirms that everyone with Medicare can join, switch, or drop a health or drug plan for the coming year. Changes take effect January 1.
Scammers know this is when people are actively thinking about their coverage. That makes beneficiaries more likely to answer unfamiliar calls, open plan mailers, or click on ads promising extra benefits. If a scammer bills Medicare for equipment you never got, you could be denied that same equipment later when you actually need it.
Once your personal information is stolen, it can take months or years to fully undo the damage, and it can also affect your credit and other benefits. It can also lead to medical identity theft, where someone uses your Medicare information to obtain medical services or equipment in your name.
If you have already received a suspicious Medicare scam call, or you simply want a licensed insurance agent to review your coverage before AEP ends, help is available.
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Local, licensed insurance agents with 25+ years of combined experienceThis is the fastest-growing Medicare scam of 2026. Criminals can now clone a voice using just a few seconds of audio pulled from a social media video or voicemail. According to the Federal Trade Commission, scammers use these cloned voices, sometimes posing as a family member or a government agency, to create panic and pressure you into acting fast.
Medicare will never call you out of the blue to verify your account, ask for your Medicare number, or demand immediate action through a third party on the line. If you receive a call that feels urgent or oddly personal, hang up. Then call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) directly to check if it was real.
You may have seen ads promising extra benefits or money-back plans, all at no cost. These perks are real, but usually apply only to people who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid, or to those with certain chronic conditions.
Not every plan offers the same extras. If an ad seems to offer more benefits for free than other plans, ask questions before you switch.
In this scheme, a caller offers you a back brace, wheelchair, or medical supply at no cost to you. They just need your Medicare number “to confirm eligibility.” Once they have it, they bill Medicare for the item, often at a high price, and the charge counts against your benefits.
This matters beyond the billing itself. If Medicare’s records show you already received a piece of equipment, you could be denied coverage for that same item later, even if you never got it. Treat your Medicare number like a credit card number. Never give it to anyone who calls, texts, or emails you first.
This scam is new for 2026. Thanks to a federal law, Medicare drug plans now cap your yearly out-of-pocket prescription costs at $2,100, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Scammers are calling people, claiming they must “activate” this cap or pay a processing fee to receive it.
This is false. The cap applies automatically once you reach it during the calendar year. You do not need to sign up, verify anything, or pay a fee to get this protection.
A new phishing scam is targeting Medicare beneficiaries with emails and text messages that appear to come from MyChart. The messages may promise a free “MyChart Medicare Kit” or “Senior Health Package” and ask you to click a link to claim it.
According to Becker’s Hospital Review, patients at more than 40 health systems have reported receiving these messages. The offers do not come from MyChart or the health systems they appear to represent. Instead, scammers use the familiar MyChart name to convince people to click malicious links or share personal information.
If you receive an unexpected message offering a free Medicare or senior health package, do not click the link. Check the sender’s address and access your MyChart account directly through your healthcare provider’s website or the MyChart app instead.
Under federal rules, insurance carriers and their representatives are not permitted to make unsolicited calls to individuals who have not requested to be contacted. If you get an unexpected call claiming to be from a plan, that alone is a red flag. It is okay to simply hang up.
Agent tip:
“The biggest red flag isn’t a weird phone number; it’s urgency. A real Medicare decision can always wait until tomorrow. If someone’s pushing you to act right now, that’s your sign to hang up.”
If you think you have been targeted, act quickly:
Medicare scams change every year, but the goal is always the same: get your trust or your personal information before you have time to think it through. Knowing these Medicare scam calls, and remembering that legitimate plans will not cold-call you, puts you a step ahead this AEP.
If you have questions about your coverage or you just want a second opinion before October 15, a licensed insurance agent can review your options with you at no cost and no pressure.
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Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) right away to report it and ask about next steps. You should also watch your Medicare Summary Notices closely for services or equipment you did not receive, since billing fraud often shows up there first. Contact your local Senior Medicare Patrol at 1-877-808-2468 for no-cost help reviewing your claims and reporting fraud to the right agency. In serious cases, Social Security can also help you request a new Medicare card number if you believe yours has been compromised.
The 2026 out-of-pocket cap on covered prescription drugs is automatic once you reach it. You do not need to enroll or pay a fee.
Separately, Medicare offers the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan, a voluntary option that lets you spread your drug costs into monthly payments across the year instead of paying them all at the pharmacy. This payment plan does not lower your total drug costs. It only changes how and when you pay them, and you can ask your plan to enroll you at any time during the year.
Generally, no. If someone claims to be Medicare or Social Security and contacts you unexpectedly, be cautious. Medicare does not make unsolicited calls to verify your information or ask for your Medicare number. Medicare Advantage and Part D plans are also restricted from cold-calling people who have not requested contact or given permission.
The one exception is if you already asked a plan or licensed insurance agent to reach out to you, such as after requesting more information. Aside from that prior contact, treat any unexpected call about your coverage as a warning sign and verify it independently.
Yes. Caregivers and family members can report suspected fraud to Senior Medicare Patrol, I-MEDIC, or 1-800-MEDICARE on someone else’s behalf. Having the person’s Medicare number and a description of the suspicious call or letter helps investigators look into it more quickly, though neither is required to start a report. You do not need a power of attorney or formal authorization to file a report. Senior Medicare Patrol counselors are trained to work directly with caregivers and can walk you through the information to gather before you call.
If you miss AEP, you’ll generally need to wait until the next Annual Enrollment Period the following year. Outside of AEP, you may still qualify for a Special Enrollment Period if you have a qualifying life event, like moving or losing other coverage. A licensed insurance agent can help you check if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.
Read more by Renee van Staveren
Since 2009, I've been writing about complicated, technical issues, with the goal of making topics like Medicare and healthcare easier to understand. I've been writing about Medicare since 2021 and healthcare since 2019. I am an AmeriCorps alumni. I enjoy gardening, reading, and DIYing.
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