Medicare scam calls are surging. Here's how you can protect yourself

LEHI — Debbie Worthington has set her ring tone to be one of her favorite songs — Kenny Rogers' "The Gambler." But now, it's starting to feel like a broken record. She's been getting call after call about Medicare from seemingly local numbers.

The callers say they're reaching out about Medicare benefits, supplemental insurance or prescription coverage.

"Every single time, they ask if you have part A and B," Worthington said of the constant stream of calls.

But they're not coming from Medicare. It strictly prohibits cold calling beneficiaries. If someone is calling you out of the blue about Medicare, it's already a violation.

"I am just so tired of having phone calls," Worthington said.

But the calls keep coming because the goal isn't just to annoy Worthington, it's to steal her Medicare number.

The fraud behind the calls

With that number, scammers can fraudulently bill Medicare for wheelchairs, braces, medical supplies and tests among other things. These are things she never ordered, never received and never wanted.

And the money adds up. The Department of Justice estimates Medicare fraud drains somewhere around $60 billion a year out of the system. That's taxpayer money — your money.

"You can block them (calls), but they go around to a different phone number," Worthington remarked.

She has installed an app that is supposed to stop spam, but she said it hasn't helped. It's left her screening her calls, which costs her in other ways.

"I'm missing calls that I really need to have," said Worthington.

These Medicare scam calls spike around open enrollment season. Medicare said you should never give out your Medicare number over the phone unless you initiate the call to a trusted provider. It also asks people to report suspicious calls to Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE.

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