$12.5B
FTC-reported fraud losses in 2024
FTC says consumers reported losing $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024.
ACA marketplace impersonator scam
Scammers impersonate healthcare.gov or state marketplace representatives during open enrollment to harvest personal and financial information.
“insurance scam”
↑ 100%Key indicators
Usually targetsUninsured adults
Often hitsSmall business owners
Common regionUnited States
Last updated2026-04-04
Estimated impact
$960
median reported loss
Typical range$60 – $6.0K
Recovery rate~15%
Scam breakdown
1
Scammers call during or just before open enrollment posing as marketplace navigators.
2
They collect Social Security numbers, income details, and payment information.
3
The data is used for identity theft or to enroll the victim in a plan that generates commissions for the scammer.
What to do first
The official marketplace will never cold-call asking for payment or SSN.
Related terms
Obamacare phone scammarketplace enrollment scamfake navigator scamInsurance scamsPhoneRisingUninsured adultsFamiliesOlder adultsSmall business ownersCreators and online sellersHealthcare workersUnited StatesObamacare phone scammarketplace enrollment scam
Real-world example
How this scam plays out in practice
Based on reported patterns. Names and details are illustrative.
The setup
Laura, 35, a uninsured adults, encountered what appeared to be a legitimate insurance scams situation while using Phone. Scammers call during or just before open enrollment posing as marketplace navigators.
Step 2
What happened next was calculated: They collect Social Security numbers, income details, and payment information.
Step 3
The pressure escalated quickly: The data is used for identity theft or to enroll the victim in a plan that generates commissions for the scammer.
The outcome
Laura realized something was wrong when unsolicited call claiming to be from the health insurance marketplace. By that point, significant damage had already been done — money sent, personal information shared, or trust exploited.
The lesson
The official marketplace will never cold-call asking for payment or SSN. Laura's experience shows why unsolicited call claiming to be from the health insurance marketplace and caller asks for social security number and banking details over the phone are the clearest early warning signs.
How to identify it
- Unsolicited call claiming to be from the Health Insurance Marketplace
- Caller asks for Social Security number and banking details over the phone
- Urgency created around enrollment deadlines that do not match the real calendar
- Pause before paying, clicking, or sharing information. Scammers rely on speed.
- Verify the sender, company, or agency using a phone number or website you already know is legitimate.
- Treat secrecy, urgency, and off-platform payment requests as strong scam signals.
What to do now
- ✓The official marketplace will never cold-call asking for payment or SSN.
- ✓Enroll only through healthcare.gov or your state's official marketplace website.
- ✓Report impersonators to the HHS Office of Inspector General.
What to save before reporting
- ✓Save the message, profile, phone number, email, or URL that was used.
- ✓Keep payment confirmations, receipts, and account alerts before you dispute or delete anything.
- ✓Write down the timeline while the details are still fresh.
- ✓Save the full chat or call log before blocking the sender so the reporting path still has the original context.
How big is this problem
You are not alone — this scam affects millions of people.
These numbers come from government agencies and official reports. If you have been affected, know that this is a widespread problem — not something that only happens to careless people.
FTC 2024 fraud losses
Imposters
Most common FTC fraud category in 2024
FTC says imposter scams remained the most commonly reported fraud category in 2024.
History and evolution
- This scam family tends to persist because the social-engineering pressure works even when the exact scripts, platforms, and payment methods change.
- The specific packaging evolves over time, but the core pattern usually stays the same: create urgency, control the channel, and push action before verification.
- CMS has repeatedly warned consumers about fraudulent calls during open enrollment periods.
Recovery and follow-up
- ✓Save the messages, receipts, account alerts, and transaction details before you block or delete anything.
- ✓Report the scam through the official platform or government channel that best matches where it happened.
- ✓Tell close contacts if a phone or text scam used your identity, so scammers cannot reuse the same story against people around you.
- ✓The official marketplace will never cold-call asking for payment or SSN.
- ✓Enroll only through healthcare.gov or your state's official marketplace website.
Why this pattern keeps working
Even when the story changes, most scams still use the same pressure pattern: urgency, authority, and a request to move money or data fast.
CMS has repeatedly warned consumers about fraudulent calls during open enrollment periods.
FTC Consumer Sentinel 2025
Where to report it
If you have been targeted by this scam, reporting it helps authorities track the pattern and protect others. United States has dedicated agencies that handle fraud reports.
ReportFraud.gov
Federal Trade Commission
Central U.S. consumer fraud reporting portal.
File an IC3 complaint
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
FBI portal for internet-enabled crime reports.
Start identity theft recovery
IdentityTheft.gov
Official U.S. identity theft recovery plan builder.
Explore further
Understand the bigger picture
Who is most at risk
Who this scam targets
Primary targets
Uninsured adults, Families, Older adults
Geographic concentration
United States
Primary channel
Phone — Insurance scams
Why this group is vulnerable
Uninsured adults are particularly vulnerable because this scam exploits trust in familiar brands, authority figures, and time-sensitive decisions. The growing number of reports suggests that awareness among this demographic remains low.
Sources and methodology
How we verify this information
OpenScam tracks scam patterns using a combination of government consumer protection databases (FTC, IC3, Action Fraud), platform-specific fraud reports, and verified consumer complaint data. Each entry is cross-referenced against at least two independent sources before publication.
Severity ratings are based on financial impact potential, reversibility of damage, and volume of reports across multiple reporting channels. Trend velocity reflects the rate of change in report volume over the most recent 90-day window.
This page was last verified on 2026-04-04. Red flags, recovery steps, and reporting resources are reviewed quarterly against current agency guidance.
Evidence and indicators
- CMS has repeatedly warned consumers about fraudulent calls during open enrollment periods.
Source notes
- FTC Consumer Sentinel 2025
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about aca marketplace impersonator scam
How does the aca marketplace impersonator scam work?+
Scammers call during or just before open enrollment posing as marketplace navigators. They collect Social Security numbers, income details, and payment information. The data is used for identity theft or to enroll the victim in a plan that generates commissions for the scammer.
What are the warning signs of aca marketplace impersonator scam?+
Unsolicited call claiming to be from the Health Insurance Marketplace Caller asks for Social Security number and banking details over the phone Urgency created around enrollment deadlines that do not match the real calendar
What should I do if I encounter aca marketplace impersonator scam?+
The official marketplace will never cold-call asking for payment or SSN. Enroll only through healthcare.gov or your state's official marketplace website. Report impersonators to the HHS Office of Inspector General.
Who is most at risk for aca marketplace impersonator scam?+
This scam primarily targets Uninsured adults, Families, Older adults. It is most commonly reported in United States and typically appears on Phone.
Is aca marketplace impersonator scam on the rise?+
ACA marketplace impersonator scam is currently on the rise with growing reports. It has been reported across US. Last updated 2026-04-04.
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Help someone avoid this scam.
Scammers succeed because people do not talk about it. If you or someone you know has been affected, there is no shame in it — it happens to millions of people every year. Share this page with friends and family so they know what to look for.
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