If your phone has been ringing more than usual with calls about "new Medicare benefits," you're not imagining it. Complaints about Medicare scam calls filed with the Better Business Bureau rose 40 percent in the past year, and some seniors report receiving dozens of these calls in a single day. The callers often already have real personal details — pulled from data breaches and sold online — which makes the calls sound far more credible than they should.
40%
Increase in Medicare scam call complaints over the past year
60+
Calls some seniors report receiving in a single day during peak periods
Oct 15–Dec 7
Annual open enrollment window, when these calls spike sharply
One Fact That Settles It
Medicare does not place unsolicited phone calls to beneficiaries. Real notices arrive by mail first. If you receive a call claiming to be from Medicare and you did not initiate it, that alone is enough reason to hang up.
What to Do Instead
01Hang up. You don't need to be polite about it — ending the call costs you nothing.
02Never confirm or share your Medicare number, Social Security number, or banking details over a call you didn't initiate.
03If you want to verify anything, call 1-800-MEDICARE yourself, or visit Medicare.gov directly.
04Report the call to your local Senior Medicare Patrol — they can help flag fraud and review your account for unauthorized charges.
05Review your Medicare statements over the next few months for any unfamiliar charges, especially for equipment or services you never received.
These calls intensify sharply during open enrollment, from October 15 through December 7, but they don't fully stop once enrollment ends. Treating any unsolicited Medicare call as suspicious — every time, without exception — is the simplest and most reliable protection available.
With care,
Mike Bridges
Founder, The O55 Report