| Yarmouth Scam Watch |
October 2026 · Issue #1 |
Real Medicare, fake Medicare. Can you tell?
One scam. One red flag. Two minutes to read.
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Welcome to the first issue. Medicare Open Enrollment runs October 15 to December 7, and scammers know it. This month, two Medicare messages that both landed with me: one real, one fake. Learning the difference is the whole game.
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Message 1: The real one
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From: Medicare <medicare@subscriptions.medicare.gov>
Subject: Avoid fraud this Open Enrollment
Scammers are extra busy this time of year. They may pretend to be from Medicare or an insurance company to try to steal your personal information, or even enroll you in a plan without your knowledge.
If you get an unwanted call, just hang up. Uninvited emails or texts? You can ignore those, too.
Agents and brokers who represent Medicare plans need your permission before contacting you.
Never give your Medicare Number, Social Security Number, or financial information to anyone you don't know.
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A real email from Medicare, shortened. My personal details removed.
Why I know it's real:
- I signed up for it. I asked Medicare for email updates. I was expecting it.
- It asks for nothing. No number, no payment, no "verify your account."
- No rush, no threat. No deadline, no "act now."
- It tells you to hang up. A scammer would never give you that advice.
Even with a real email, I don't click its links. If I want Medicare's site, I type medicare.gov into my browser myself.
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Message 2: The fake one
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A phone call, out of the blue
I just retired, so I've been filling out every Medicare form there is. Then I got a call from "Medicare." They wanted to confirm I'd received my new card. First question: what's the date on the card? I told them. Next question: what's the number on the card?
That's when it clicked. So I said, "You're calling from Medicare. You already have my phone number. Why don't you read me MY number, and I'll tell you if it's right."
They hung up.
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Why it was fake:
- They called me. I didn't call them, and I wasn't expecting it.
- They asked for my Medicare number. The real Medicare already has it.
- The timing was perfect. Scammers target people who just signed up, because a call about a "new card" sounds believable.
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The red flag
Medicare won't call out of the blue asking for your Medicare number.
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What to do
- Got a call about Medicare you didn't expect? Hang up. Never give your Medicare or Social Security number to anyone who called you.
- A plan "advisor" calls without your permission? That's a red flag. Agents need your OK before contacting you.
- Want to check or compare plans? Call 1-800-MEDICARE yourself, or type medicare.gov/plan-compare into your browser.
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Stop. Hang Up. Call Back. Don't Click!
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Close to home
Most of us on the Cape are picking a drug plan, a supplement, or an Advantage plan this fall, and that makes us a target. One scam most people haven't heard of: crooks enrolling you in a plan without your knowledge. If you get a card or a letter for a plan you didn't choose, report it to 1-800-MEDICARE right away.
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From your neighbors
This section is yours. Starting next month, I'll share a neighbor's close call here, first name only or anonymous.
Got something suspicious? Take a screenshot and send it to me at joe@yarmouthscamwatch.com. No judgment. Getting fooled happens to smart people. Talking about it is how we stop it.
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Keep these by the phone
| Medicare (report fraud) | 1-800-MEDICARE |
| Yarmouth Police (non-emergency) | 508-775-0445 |
| Yarmouth Senior Services | 508-394-7606 |
| MA Attorney General Elder Hotline | 888-243-5337 |
| AARP Fraud Watch Helpline | 877-908-3360 |
Already gave out your Medicare number? Call 1-800-MEDICARE right away, and watch your Medicare statements for services you didn't get.
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Pass it on. Everyone choosing a plan this fall is a target. Share this with a friend, a neighbor, or your kids. Scammers count on people keeping quiet. Not signed up yet? Get it free by email.
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Written by Joe Frio, a Yarmouth neighbor. I will never ask you for money, passwords, or personal information. If a message claiming to be from me does, it's a scam.
Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts · yarmouthscamwatch.com
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