Emails and texts using the MyChart name are offering a free Medicare kit or senior health package, and patients at more than a dozen health systems have been warned, Healthcare Dive reported. The links lead to fake sites built to collect personal information.
The scam starts with a small charge. ConsumerAffairs reported that one victim in their 70s paid $9.95 for shipping on a supposed kit, which was followed by an attempted charge of $29.95. No kit arrived: The giveaway was fake, and the small shipping charge was used to obtain the victim’s card information.
The outlet said at least 41 health systems had warned about the scheme by late August.
Epic, the company behind MyChart, has said the surge reflects scammers riding the brand’s popularity rather than a security problem. Real MyChart accounts are not the primary target. Your card number and Medicare Number, typed into a fake page, are.
Why the timing matters
Medicare’s annual open enrollment runs Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, the window when beneficiaries can switch Medicare Advantage or drug plans.
AARP volunteers in Rhode Island warned in September that scammers impersonate Medicare representatives during this season, with claims of new Medicare cards and free gifts such as genetic testing and glucose monitors.
With 2027 rates for private Medicare and Part D plans now public, a message about Medicare benefits is easy to take for routine.
Rules that settle it
Medicare says it will not call to sell you anything or visit your home. The agency, or someone representing it, calls to ask for personal information only in limited situations, such as returning your call. Medicare.gov also advises against giving your Medicare Number to anyone except your doctor or people you know should have it, and against accepting offers of money or gifts for free medical care.
A free kit fails every one of those tests.
Epic says MyChart will never ask patients to press keyboard shortcuts or to change the email address or phone number on their accounts. Open your health system’s portal by typing the address yourself or using the app you already installed, not by tapping a link in a message.
Who to call
The AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 877-908-3360 is a free resource available weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time. Trained specialists help you work out whether something is a scam and what to do next, though AARP notes they do not investigate cases or recover money.
To report suspected Medicare fraud, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
AARP membership, which includes the Fraud Watch Network alongside savings on prescriptions, travel and dining, starts as low as $15 for your first year with auto-renewal.
If you already typed in a card number
Call the card issuer using the number on the back of the card, report the charges as unauthorized and ask for a replacement. The Federal Trade Commission says federal law protects you from unauthorized use of a credit card and asks victims to report scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
If you entered a Social Security number, IdentityTheft.gov offers a recovery plan.
A credit freeze adds a layer of protection. The FTC says a freeze costs nothing and does not affect your credit score, but you must contact all three bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Read more about scam defenses that work even when you are tired or distracted.
Coveron, from Nord Security, the maker of NordVPN, monitors the dark web and your credit around the clock and alerts you with clear steps to lock things down. Its identity theft insurance covers up to $2 million in eligible recovery costs.
Remember, the $9.95 charge was only the beginning. Providing your card number could lead to bigger losses.
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