$12.5B
FTC-reported fraud losses in 2024
FTC says consumers reported losing $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024.
medicare supplement telemarketing scam
Callers impersonate Medicare representatives and pressure seniors into purchasing unnecessary or nonexistent supplemental insurance plans, collecting personal health information and payment details.
“senior scam”
↑ 292%Key indicators
Estimated impact
$1.4K
median reported loss
Typical range$90 – $9.0K
Recovery rate~15%
Scam breakdown
1
Scammers cold-call seniors claiming to represent Medicare or a Medicare-approved insurance provider, often during open enrollment periods.
2
They collect the victim's Medicare ID number, Social Security number, and banking details under the pretense of enrolling them in a better plan.
3
The stolen information is used to file fraudulent Medicare claims or commit identity theft, while the victim receives no actual coverage.
What to do first
Hang up immediately — Medicare will never call you unsolicited to sell supplemental plans.
Related terms
fake Medicare callMedicare supplement fraudMedicare phone scamSenior-targeted scamsPhoneRisingSeniorsOlder adultsMedicare beneficiariesHealthcare workersRetirees and seniorsImmigrants and visa holdersUnited Statesfake Medicare callMedicare supplement fraud
Real-world example
How this scam plays out in practice
Based on reported patterns. Names and details are illustrative.
The setup
Kenji, 72, a seniors, encountered what appeared to be a legitimate senior-targeted scams situation while using Phone. Scammers cold-call seniors claiming to represent Medicare or a Medicare-approved insurance provider, often during open enrollment periods.
Step 2
What happened next was calculated: They collect the victim's Medicare ID number, Social Security number, and banking details under the pretense of enrolling them in a better plan.
Step 3
The pressure escalated quickly: The stolen information is used to file fraudulent Medicare claims or commit identity theft, while the victim receives no actual coverage.
The outcome
Kenji realized something was wrong when unsolicited phone call claiming to be from medicare offering new supplement plans. By that point, significant damage had already been done — money sent, personal information shared, or trust exploited.
The lesson
Hang up immediately — Medicare will never call you unsolicited to sell supplemental plans. Kenji's experience shows why unsolicited phone call claiming to be from medicare offering new supplement plans and caller asks for your medicare number or social security number to enroll you are the clearest early warning signs.
How to identify it
- Unsolicited phone call claiming to be from Medicare offering new supplement plans
- Caller asks for your Medicare number or Social Security number to enroll you
- High-pressure tactics with threats that coverage will lapse if you do not act immediately
- 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
- ✓Hang up immediately — Medicare will never call you unsolicited to sell supplemental plans.
- ✓Report the call to 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) and the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
- ✓Never share your Medicare ID, Social Security number, or bank details over the phone with unsolicited callers.
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 reported that Medicare fraud costs taxpayers an estimated 60 billion USD annually, with telemarketing schemes being a top vector targeting seniors.
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.
- ✓Hang up immediately — Medicare will never call you unsolicited to sell supplemental plans.
- ✓Report the call to 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) and the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
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 reported that Medicare fraud costs taxpayers an estimated 60 billion USD annually, with telemarketing schemes being a top vector targeting seniors.
HHS OIG 2024 Medicare Fraud Report
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, Older adults, Medicare beneficiaries
Geographic concentration
United States
Primary channel
Phone — Senior-targeted scams
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 reported that Medicare fraud costs taxpayers an estimated 60 billion USD annually, with telemarketing schemes being a top vector targeting seniors.
Source notes
- HHS OIG 2024 Medicare Fraud Report
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about medicare supplement telemarketing scam
How does the medicare supplement telemarketing scam work?+
Scammers cold-call seniors claiming to represent Medicare or a Medicare-approved insurance provider, often during open enrollment periods. They collect the victim's Medicare ID number, Social Security number, and banking details under the pretense of enrolling them in a better plan. The stolen information is used to file fraudulent Medicare claims or commit identity theft, while the victim receives no actual coverage.
What are the warning signs of medicare supplement telemarketing scam?+
Unsolicited phone call claiming to be from Medicare offering new supplement plans Caller asks for your Medicare number or Social Security number to enroll you High-pressure tactics with threats that coverage will lapse if you do not act immediately
What should I do if I encounter medicare supplement telemarketing scam?+
Hang up immediately — Medicare will never call you unsolicited to sell supplemental plans. Report the call to 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) and the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Never share your Medicare ID, Social Security number, or bank details over the phone with unsolicited callers.
Who is most at risk for medicare supplement telemarketing scam?+
This scam primarily targets Seniors, Older adults, Medicare beneficiaries. It is most commonly reported in United States and typically appears on Phone.
Is medicare supplement telemarketing scam on the rise?+
medicare supplement telemarketing 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.