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Toni,

I received a call in the beginning of June from Medicare asking for my personal information to verify the activation of my new plastic Medicare card with a chip. I’m concerned because I have not received the card yet.

Who do I call to see if Medicare was trying to contact me for a new plastic Medicare card? Sometimes it is hard to know the right thing to do when it involves Medicare or Social Security.

—Jeanette from Tulsa, Okla.

Hello, Jeanette:

Medicare is not issuing a new plastic Medicare card with a chip. You have been the victim of a Medicare scam. Your Medicare card is still the same paper card that you currently have. More than 1.3 million on Medicare have experienced this healthcare fraud, with the result that since February 2026 they have received new paper cards with new ID numbers from Medicare to replace the stolen ones.

The most recent Medicare card update for everyone on Medicare was in 2018 and ran through April 2019. The card now includes a random identification number of numerals and letters and no longer displays a person’s Social Security number.

FYI: Medicare and Social Security will NEVER call your home or office and ask for your personal or banking information. Medicare already has all the information needed to verify they are speaking with you. If the government required information from you, a letter would be sent from the specific government agency (such as Medicare), telling you what information is needed and how to contact them with any questions.

Please contact Social Security at 800-772-1213 or go in person to your local Social Security office and tell Social Security that your personal information has been compromised. You will want to have an alert placed on your Social Security number to avoid a future problem. Also contact Medicare at 800-633-4227.

According to estimates from the National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association, taxpayers are losing over $100 billion a year because of Medicare and Medicaid fraud. There is an organization called Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) that helps those on Medicare learn how to detect fraud and abuse. To report Medicare fraud or abuse to SMP, call their toll-free number, 877-808-2468, or visit the SMP website at www.smpresource.org to locate the closest SMP office in your state. The SMP website discusses common Medicare fraud schemes.

Here are a few tips to help protect you against Medicare fraud:

—Do NOT accept “free” offers in exchange for your Medicare number. Remember, nothing is free. The fraudster will have Medicare pay for whatever they are offering, and will use your Medicare number to get it paid for!

—Have a safety script by your phone and do not give out personal information to anyone who calls. Stick to the script no matter what! (Have someone help you write your script.)

—Guard your Medicare/Social Security number like it is gold. Don’t give your numbers to strangers who call you on the phone or come to your door.

—Just as you tell your grandkids not to talk to strangers, remember that you don’t need to talk to strangers either. Simply hang up on strangers or those you don’t trust.

Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid fraud schemes are exploding! The only way to stop this type of fraud is to let your friends, family members and co-workers know what I have just told you. We need to stand together and stop those who only want to make a fast dollar from Medicare and Medicaid and, most especially, from YOU!

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Toni King is an author and columnist on Medicare, Social Security and long-term care issues. She has spent nearly 30 years as a top sales leader in the field. If you have a Medicare question, email info@tonisays.com or call 832-519-8664. Sign up for the Toni Says newsletter at www.tonisays.com to keep up to date on Medicare changes.

©2026 Toni King. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Copyright 2026 Toni King, Distributed by Counterpoint Media