What happened
The Perry News reported on 8 November 2026 that the Iowa Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP), part of the Iowa Insurance Division's SHIIP-SMP program, warned that scammers are targeting Medicare beneficiaries during open enrollment, which runs through 7 December, with fake plan offers, phishing texts and impostor calls. Scams it flagged include callers claiming to be from Medicare offering a new plastic or chip-enabled Medicare card. Medicare cards do not expire and are not being replaced this way. Medicare is impersonated and is not involved.
How the scam works
Other tactics the program flagged include callers threatening to cancel benefits unless personal information or Medicare numbers are provided, and advertisements or solicitors promising cash cards, free medical equipment or coverage upgrades in exchange for a Medicare number. The program notes scammers can fake familiar phone numbers, so caller ID alone cannot be trusted.
A Medicare number is valuable to fraudsters because it can be used to bill for services never provided, enroll the beneficiary in unwanted plans or open medical identity theft. Open enrollment is a busy period when people expect calls and mail about coverage, which makes unexpected offers easier to believe. Real Medicare communications do not threaten immediate cancellation over the phone or demand a number in return for a new card.
The program advises people never to share their Medicare number with unsolicited contacts, to hang up and contact Medicare directly through Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE, and to report suspected misuse to the Iowa SMP. Anyone who already gave a Medicare number should call Medicare and the Iowa SMP, watch Explanation of Benefits statements for unfamiliar claims, and consider a fraud alert.
Source
The Perry News report on Iowa SMP, 8 November 2026: https://theperrynews.com/iowa-insurance-division-warns-of-medicare-scams-targeting-older-iowans/
