This month’s Missouri SMP (Senior Medicare Patrol) Fraud Fact is to remind you to guard your Medicare card. The mailing of the new Medicare cards is finished, but that doesn’t mean the scammers are done trying to steal your personal information. One way that they do that is by calling your home with an offer for free lamination of your new Medicare card. The scammers may ask you to send in your new card to have it laminated or to give them your new Medicare number so that they can send you a laminated card.
While the offer might sound enticing, don’t do it. Medicare recommends that you do not laminate your new Medicare card and certainly don’t pay someone else to do it. Make sure you destroy your old Medicare card so that the information cannot be stolen from it.
Protect your Medicare number just like a credit card. Only give the new Medicare number to doctors, pharmacists, other healthcare providers, insurers or people you trust to work with Medicare on your behalf.
As always, report suspected Medicare fraud to the Missouri SMP at 1-888-515-6565.