NH attorney general warns of new Medicare scam

CONCORD — Scammers are targeting people in New Hampshire by falsely claiming to be from Medicare on telephone calls, according to NH Attorney General John M. Formella.

“The Attorney General’s Office has recently received multiple reports of scammers calling New Hampshire residents, falsely claiming to be calling on behalf of Medicare,” the attorney general’s office said in a statement on Friday.

The scammers’ goal is to obtain personal identifying information.

“The scammers ask whether the recipient has received a new Medicare card. If the recipient says that he or she has not received a new card, the scammer asks for the recipient’s personal identifying information, including the recipient’s Medicare and Social Security number,” the statement added.

Formella wants the public to be aware this is a phishing scam.

“Scammers use phishing scams to obtain personal identifying information from unsuspecting victims. If the phishing scam is successful, scammers can use the personal identifying information obtained to perpetrate additional scams, engage in identity theft, or commit additional crimes, including fraudulently accessing financial resources of the victim,” officials warned.

Medicare is not issuing new cards to recipients in 2024, the Attorney General’s Office clarified, and Medicare does not make unsolicited calls to recipients asking for personal or private information.

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If you receive a call from anyone claiming to be calling on behalf of Medicare asking if you received a new Medicare card or seeking personal identifying information, it is a scam.

Consumers who receive calls should hang up immediately and call 800-633-4227.

To protect yourself from Medicare fraud: Do not answer calls from numbers you do not recognize. If you receive a voicemail from someone claiming to be a representative of Medicare, do not return the call using the number provided.

Treat your Medicare card like a credit card and only give your Medicare number to your health care providers, your health insurance company and people you trust that work with Medicare, such as your state health insurance assistance program.

Additionally, never provide personal identifying information such as account numbers, Social Security numbers, mother’s maiden names, passwords, or any other self-identifying information to unknown people or organizations.

If you or someone you know has fallen victim to this or another scam, immediately report it to your local police department and the Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau of the Attorney General’s Office at 603-271-3641 or doj.nh.gov/consumer/complaints.