Scam alert · October 30, 2026
Looking for Medicare Help? The First Search Result May Be an Ad.
Open Enrollment searches can lead to misleading ads and fake insurance sites. Learn how to reach Medicare or the Marketplace safely.
Read this in five minutes. Then talk about it with someone you care about.
Medicare Open Enrollment is underway, and millions of families are comparing plans, checking drug coverage, and trying to understand what may change next year.
Many will begin in the same place: a search box.
That ordinary first step can create an opening for scammers and dishonest businesses. The Federal Trade Commission warns that bad actors sometimes pay to appear near the top of search results. Their ads can use official-looking logos, familiar words, and web addresses that resemble Medicare.gov or HealthCare.gov.
Clicking one may lead to a plan that is not what it claims to be, a sales operation that pressures the shopper, or a fake site designed to collect personal and financial information.
The dangerous assumption is simple: “It came up first, so it must be official.”
It may only mean someone paid for the position.
Why this works
Health coverage is complicated, personal, and time-sensitive. During Open Enrollment, people know there is a deadline. They may also be worried about prescriptions, doctors, premiums, or losing benefits they rely on.
A misleading ad does not need to invent an entirely new story. It only needs to appear at the exact moment someone is looking for help.
Official-looking colors, seals, and words such as “Medicare,” “Marketplace,” or “enrollment center” can create instant credibility. A phone number in the ad may feel safer than completing a form online, but it can connect the caller directly to a salesperson or scammer. Once the conversation begins, urgency can take over: a supposed deadline, a special benefit, or a warning that coverage could disappear.
That is why the best defense starts before the call.
Warning signs to watch for
Slow down when:
- A search result has a small Ad or Sponsored label.
- The web address is similar to an official site but does not end in
.gov. - Someone claims you must pay immediately to keep or qualify for coverage.
- A caller asks for a bank account, credit card, Marketplace password, or security code.
- An agent calls or texts unexpectedly even though you did not give permission to be contacted.
- Someone arrives at the home uninvited to sell a Medicare plan.
- The representative pressures you to enroll before you understand the costs, doctors, prescriptions, and coverage.
- A plan is described as “the best” without a careful comparison of your needs.
Not every advertisement or insurance agent is fraudulent. The point is to verify independently before sharing information or making a decision.
The 60-second defense
Skip the search results and go directly to the source.
For Medicare, type Medicare.gov into the browser yourself or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). Medicare Open Enrollment runs from October 15 through December 7.
For Marketplace coverage, type HealthCare.gov directly or call 1-800-318-2596.
Then follow one family rule:
Never choose a health plan during an unexpected call, text, doorstep visit, or rushed conversation.
Write down the caller's name, company, phone number, and the exact plan being discussed. End the conversation. Verify the organization using contact information you find on an official government site, not the number or link the representative supplied.
For free, impartial Medicare guidance, families can also contact their State Health Insurance Assistance Program, commonly called SHIP. Medicare.gov can help you locate the program in your state.
If information was already shared
Do not let embarrassment delay the next step. These pages and conversations are designed to appear legitimate.
If someone may have disclosed a Medicare number, call 1-800-MEDICARE and explain what happened. Review Medicare claims and plan information for changes or services you do not recognize. If a Marketplace account may be affected, contact the Marketplace Call Center through HealthCare.gov and change the account password. Never share a login security code with someone who contacts you.
Report suspected fraud to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Keep screenshots, web addresses, advertisements, emails, texts, and notes from phone conversations.
Talk about it tonight
Ask a parent, spouse, or friend:
“When you look up Medicare or health coverage, how do you know you reached the official site?”
Then save Medicare.gov or HealthCare.gov as a bookmark on the device they actually use. That two-minute step removes the need to search when a deadline or health concern creates pressure.
Families do not need to become insurance experts overnight. They need a trusted path to real information and permission to pause before making a decision.
If an enrollment message, advertisement, or offer feels suspicious, describe it to the free Scam Detector to help identify warning signs and plan what to verify. Remove Medicare numbers, Social Security numbers, passwords, security codes, and health information before submitting anything.