If your phone has been blowing up with Medicare calls lately, you're not alone — and not all of them are legitimate.
CMS and several state insurance departments have issued fresh warnings about a sharp rise in Medicare scam calls heading into the 2025–2026 enrollment season, with scammers posing as "Medicare agents," "eligibility specialists," and even "CMS verification officers."
The most common tactic?
A fake "Medicare enrollment verification call" where the scammer claims they need to confirm your benefits for the 2026 plan year.
It sounds official — and that's the point.
What Is the 42474 Medicare Text Message?
Some Medicare beneficiaries are receiving unsolicited text messages from the shortcode 42474. These messages often claim to offer a new Medicare card, a benefits update, or a flex card and ask you to click a link or call a number. Medicare does not initiate contact by text to offer benefits or request personal information. If you receive a text from 42474, do not click any links, do not call the number provided, and do not reply. Report it to 1-800-MEDICARE or at medicare.gov.
The New Scam: "We're Calling to Verify Your 2026 Medicare Enrollment"
Over the last six weeks, watchdog agencies in Florida, Ohio, Michigan, Arizona, and North Carolina have all reported the same trend: scammers are using AI-generated voices and spoofed caller IDs to impersonate Medicare representatives. See our full report on AI-voice Medicare scam calls.
These calls often include:
- Requests to "confirm your Medicare Number for 2026 updates"
- Claims that your 2026 Medicare Advantage plan enrollment is incomplete
- Statements saying "your Medicare card will be canceled without verification"
- Attempts to collect personal info like SSN, date of birth, or banking details
- Transfers to fake "licensed agents" who try to switch you to a different plan
Related Medicare Updates
Medicare does NOT call you to verify enrollment. Ever.
Plans do not call you to "confirm benefits" or "update your Medicare number," either.
Why Medicare Scam Calls Are Increasing Heading Into 2026
Regulators say the spike comes down to a mix of technology and timing.
1. AI voice cloning is making scammers far more convincing
Callers can now mimic a friendly, professional-sounding "agent" with almost no effort.
2. Spoofed numbers look like local doctors, pharmacies, or CMS offices
Many seniors pick up because the number looks familiar or trustworthy.
3. The 2026 Medicare Advantage and Part D updates create confusion
Changes to formularies, supplemental benefits, and risk-adjustment rules give scammers a believable excuse to call.
4. AEP (Annual Enrollment Period) is historically prime scam season
But regulators say this year's early surge is unusual — and concerning.
Red Flags to Watch For
Here's what CMS says is always a scam:
- Someone calls saying your Medicare will be canceled unless you verify info
- Anyone asks for your Medicare number, SSN, or bank account
- A caller claims you "must update your Medicare file for 2026"
- Someone offers "free medical supplies" in exchange for ID
- A caller pressures you to switch plans immediately
If any of these happen, hang up.
Then report it to 1-800-MEDICARE.
How to Protect Yourself Heading Into the 2026 Enrollment Season
1. Refresh your understanding of official Medicare rules
Scammers rely on confusion. Being grounded in the basics makes you harder to trick.
➤ Review Medicare 2026 costs and changes
2. Know what real plan outreach looks like
Legitimate agents cannot cold-call you without permission.
➤ Understand Medicare Advantage enrollment rules
3. Never give out your Medicare Number on an unsolicited call
Medicare will never call to ask for it.
4. Let calls from unknown numbers go to voicemail
Real plans will leave a message; scammers rarely do.
5. Review your current plan in writing, not over the phone
Your plan's ANOC (Annual Notice of Change) arrives in September.
6. Report suspicious calls immediately
It helps CMS track patterns and stop ongoing operations.
✅Bottom Line
Medicare scam calls are always a problem this time of year — but the 2026 "enrollment verification" scam is spreading faster than usual, and the callers are getting harder to spot.
Understanding how Medicare communicates, and what it never asks for, is the best way to stay protected.
