$12.5B
FTC-reported fraud losses in 2024
FTC says consumers reported losing $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024.
Medicare fraud targeting elderly
Scammers pose as Medicare representatives to steal personal information or bill Medicare for services and equipment never provided to the beneficiary.
“elderly scam”
↑ 221%Key indicators
Estimated impact
$9.0K
median reported loss
Typical range$900 – $180K
Recovery rate~8%
Annual reports88,000
Scam breakdown
1
Scammers call elderly Americans posing as Medicare agents, claiming they need to verify or update the beneficiary's information.
2
The stolen Medicare number is used to bill for phantom services — durable medical equipment, genetic testing kits, or home health visits that never happen.
3
The beneficiary may not notice for months until they receive an explanation of benefits statement or their coverage is affected.
What to do first
Never share your Medicare number with unsolicited callers — Medicare will not call to ask for your number.
Related terms
Medicare identity theftmedical billing fraudfake Medicare representative scamElder financial abusePhoneRisingSeniorsElderlyCaregiversHealthcare workersRetirees and seniorsParents and familiesUnited StatesMedicare identity theftmedical billing fraud
Real-world example
How this scam plays out in practice
Based on reported patterns. Names and details are illustrative.
The setup
Paul, 72, a seniors, encountered what appeared to be a legitimate elder financial abuse situation while using Phone. Scammers call elderly Americans posing as Medicare agents, claiming they need to verify or update the beneficiary's information.
Step 2
What happened next was calculated: The stolen Medicare number is used to bill for phantom services — durable medical equipment, genetic testing kits, or home health visits that never happen.
Step 3
The pressure escalated quickly: The beneficiary may not notice for months until they receive an explanation of benefits statement or their coverage is affected.
The outcome
Paul realized something was wrong when unsolicited calls claiming to be from medicare asking for your medicare number or social security number. By that point, significant damage had already been done — money sent, personal information shared, or trust exploited.
The lesson
Never share your Medicare number with unsolicited callers — Medicare will not call to ask for your number. Paul's experience shows why unsolicited calls claiming to be from medicare asking for your medicare number or social security number and statements showing charges for medical equipment or services you never received are the clearest early warning signs.
How to identify it
- Unsolicited calls claiming to be from Medicare asking for your Medicare number or Social Security number
- Statements showing charges for medical equipment or services you never received
- Offers of free medical equipment or screenings in exchange for your Medicare information
- 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
- ✓Never share your Medicare number with unsolicited callers — Medicare will not call to ask for your number.
- ✓Review your Medicare Summary Notice carefully for services or equipment you did not receive.
- ✓Report suspected Medicare fraud to the HHS Office of Inspector General at 1-800-HHS-TIPS.
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.
- The HHS Office of Inspector General reports that Medicare fraud costs the federal government tens of billions of dollars annually, with elderly beneficiaries being the primary targets of identity-based billing schemes.
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.
- ✓Never share your Medicare number with unsolicited callers — Medicare will not call to ask for your number.
- ✓Review your Medicare Summary Notice carefully for services or equipment you did not receive.
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.
The HHS Office of Inspector General reports that Medicare fraud costs the federal government tens of billions of dollars annually, with elderly beneficiaries being the primary targets of identity-based billing schemes.
FBI IC3 2024
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
Seniors, Elderly, Caregivers, Family members
Geographic concentration
United States
Primary channel
Phone — Elder financial abuse
Why this group is vulnerable
Seniors 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
- The HHS Office of Inspector General reports that Medicare fraud costs the federal government tens of billions of dollars annually, with elderly beneficiaries being the primary targets of identity-based billing schemes.
Source notes
- FBI IC3 2024
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about medicare fraud targeting elderly
How does the medicare fraud targeting elderly work?+
Scammers call elderly Americans posing as Medicare agents, claiming they need to verify or update the beneficiary's information. The stolen Medicare number is used to bill for phantom services — durable medical equipment, genetic testing kits, or home health visits that never happen. The beneficiary may not notice for months until they receive an explanation of benefits statement or their coverage is affected.
What are the warning signs of medicare fraud targeting elderly?+
Unsolicited calls claiming to be from Medicare asking for your Medicare number or Social Security number Statements showing charges for medical equipment or services you never received Offers of free medical equipment or screenings in exchange for your Medicare information
What should I do if I encounter medicare fraud targeting elderly?+
Never share your Medicare number with unsolicited callers — Medicare will not call to ask for your number. Review your Medicare Summary Notice carefully for services or equipment you did not receive. Report suspected Medicare fraud to the HHS Office of Inspector General at 1-800-HHS-TIPS.
Who is most at risk for medicare fraud targeting elderly?+
This scam primarily targets Seniors, Elderly, Caregivers, Family members. It is most commonly reported in United States and typically appears on Phone.
Is medicare fraud targeting elderly on the rise?+
Medicare fraud targeting elderly 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.