Did you get a new Medicare card you didn’t request? Here’s how to tell if it’s a scam

More than a million Medicare cards with new numbers have been sent out to beneficiaries because of a security breach — but the mailing itself has some people suspicious.

Here’s what to know if you have received a new card in the mail.

What’s behind the mailing

The cards with new numbers — officially, Medicare Beneficiary Identifiers — are part of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ response to suspicious incidents in which unauthorized people created Medicare.gov accounts using the names and benefit numbers of legitimate recipients.

The agency said it has not found any fraud or identity theft associated with the bogus accounts, but it is monitoring claims for suspicious activity and is replacing the MBI numbers for some people.

Mailings of replacement cards began in March — and around that time, warnings went out that scammers might take advantage of the change to trick people into handing over personal information.

The latest wave of legitimate mailings is for cards set to go into effect on June 17.

Is it a real card or a scam?

The legitimate new cards are paper, not plastic, and they don’t require any activation process before using.

If a beneficiary is suspicious about a card — and particularly if they see unfamiliar charges on their statement — they’re advised to call 1-800-MEDICARE or check their Medicare.gov account for notification regarding a new number.

The Medicare services agency is not calling people to notify them of the new cards. Anyone who receives a call claiming to be about Medicare benefits is advised to hang up and call 800-MEDICARE to make sure they’re speaking with an agency employee.

Further steps

The mailings specify a date after which the new MBI number should be used. The beneficiary should destroy their old card and notify providers of the new number.