Medicare Scams On The Rise: Beneficiaries Urged To Be Alert

LAWRENCE, Mass., Feb. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Medicare beneficiaries are being urged to stay alert as new and ongoing scam trends continue to target older adults. The Massachusetts Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Program has seen a significant increase in deceptive and/or pressure tactics designed to obtain Medicare numbers, other personal information, and to fraudulently acquire consent for unnecessary services.

"Scammers often sound professional, urgent, and convincing," warns Tabitha Kreyling, the MA SMP Program's Complex Interaction Specialist. "This makes it difficult to tell the difference between legitimate calls and fraud. If you get a call from someone claiming to be from Medicare, just hang up. Medicare will never call you!"

Medicare scam trends to watch out for:

1. Durable Medical Equipment – Beneficiaries have reported claims being submitted to Medicare for unusually large quantities of medical supplies that were never prescribed or received, such as intermittent urinary catheters. Additionally, beneficiaries have reported receiving a variety of braces, diabetic supplies, and genetic testing kits in the mail without a prescription from their provider. 
2. Urgent Threat-Based Messaging – Calls that pressure people with alarming statements such as "You must verify your information immediately or your benefits will end." These scare-tactics are designed to rush individuals into sharing sensitive information. Medicare will never call threatening loss of benefits.
3. Genetic Testing Scams – Fraudsters ask invasive and detailed questions about medical history over the phone, persuading beneficiaries to agree to genetic testing not discussed, prescribed, or determined to be necessary by their providers.
4. "Insurance Partner" Imposter Calls – Scammers pose as partners or affiliates of beneficiaries' insurance plans, claiming they need to verify information in order to issue a new insurance and/or Medicare card. Hang up and immediately report suspicious calls like these to MA SMP Program by calling 800-892-0890.
5. SMP Imposter Scams – Some individuals have been falsely claiming to represent the Senior Medicare Patrol Program, asking for payments or sensitive information. The SMP Program will never call you unsolicited and will never offer or ask for financial payments.

Protect yourself by reporting scams like these to the Massachusetts SMP Program at (800) 892-0890, by going to www.masmp.org, or by emailing [email protected].

The Massachusetts Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Program is a federally funded statewide initiative that seeks that reaches, educates, and counsels Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, family members, and caregivers on preventing, detecting, and reporting healthcare errors, fraud, and abuse. This program is under the leadership of AgeSpan, Inc.

This publication is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $602,337 with 100 percent funding by ACL/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACL/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

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SOURCE AgeSpan, Inc.