I didn't know we had a new type of card coming.


Millions of people 65 or older will soon get new Medicare cards to prevent identity theft, but fraudsters are exploiting the nationwide rollout to try and fleece seniors into revealing personal information, according to reports.

Social Security numbers aren’t being printed on the new cards. Instead, they will contain 11-digit personal identifiers with numbers and letters. As of this month, the new cards are being sent to the nation’s 58 million Medicare recipients.

But now con artists are cold calling seniors around the U.S. about the new cards, the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud reported. They’re trying to steal seniors’ Social Security numbers, bank account numbers and credit card information.

"They're sneaky. Very sneaky," Virginia Baize, of Muncie, Ind., told WTHR-TV last week.

As she and her husband wait to get their new Medicare cards they have noticed an increase in phone solicitations from scammers posing as telemarketers, the station reported.

They told the station about one guy who called recently, saying he was from a Medicare senior group.

"He kept saying to me, kept repeating, ‘I need your red and blue card number. I need that number off your red and blue card,'" Virginia said. "He said the change is coming in spring for new cards and you need to use this now."

The caller never got their personal information. He got angry and threatened to revoke their health insurance, the station reported.

"I told him ‘You can't do that,' and I hung up on him. I really think people are trying to take advantage of us," Virginia said.

Indiana’s Senior Medicare Patrol program director Nancy Moore told WTHR that the phishing scams targeting seniors are now on the rise because scammers sense they are running out of time. They are desperately trying to convince seniors to divulge their Social Security numbers before those numbers disappear completely from Medicare cards.

"It's happening nationwide and it's happening in Indiana," Moore told the station. "People need to know Medicare won't call you. They only operate via U.S. mail, but the scammers are very persistent. If they call you, just hang up. Don't give out any personal information. They're just really after your Social Security number."

The Southwest Times in Pulaski, Va., reported that Medicare clients of New River Valley Agency on Aging have been contacted by scammers pretending to represent Medicare. They want to confirm the clients' Medicare card number so the new card can be mailed to them.

The nonprofit’s Elizabeth Wray told the paper that Medicare doesn’t call a client requesting such information.

Scammers have also been calling Medicare recipients to demand payment of a fee for the new card, according to the Maui News in Hawaii.

The AARP says no such fee exists.

“The new Medicare cards are a step forward for fraud prevention, but con artists are working overtime on new ways to scam seniors,” AARP Hawaii state director Barbara Kim Stanton told the paper.



http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018...iving-new-cards.html

I have a sneaking suspicion that the reason why these scammers are so efficient with the elderly is because of data breaches within senior organizations, magazine subscriptions, and other data points that are exclusive with seniors.

They get cell phone numbers, home phone numbers, basic information that allows just a little bit of research to figure out what scam is right for the target. On any given day in communities, you'll have seniors that report getting hit with 1- Warrant for arrest scam/jury duty warrant for arrest 2- Family member in distress scam 3-Medicare scam 4-Social security scam 5-Electric/gas/water/cable bill problem scam.

I have been getting emails about this new card for months and I am not even 65 yet.
I have NEVER had so many junk calls and mail from people who know I will be 65 in August. Good thing I remember when my birthday is. but if I didn't they will let me know!

I have been getting junk mail and phone call on the Medicare for the last few months. I turn 65 this coming weekend and today call SS Medicare with a question on coverage. I commented on the new card, and they said the majority still haven't gone out yet. That is one government agency that I always seem to get smart intelligent people on the phone that have been very helpful with little waiting time to talk to a real person.