Health insurance open enrollment scams

What it looks like

During Open Enrollment for Medicare and the Health Insurance Marketplace, scammers and dishonest businesses pay for search ads and build lookalike sites that use official-looking logos and web addresses similar to HealthCare.gov or Medicare.gov. Clicking the ad or calling the number in it can lead to paying for a plan that is not real insurance, or to medical identity theft. Scams rise during enrollment season but happen year-round.

Who it targets

People shopping for Medicare or Marketplace coverage during Open Enrollment.

Red flags

• Paid search ads or Sponsored results for Medicare or HealthCare.gov
• Web address that looks similar to a .gov site but is not Medicare.gov or HealthCare.gov
• Pressure to buy a plan or share SSN/Medicare card details from an unexpected call or ad
• Offer that is really a medical discount plan misrepresented as insurance

What to do if you clicked, paid, or replied

• Type Medicare.gov or HealthCare.gov directly into your browser (or call 800-633-4227 for Medicare, 800-318-2596 for Marketplace) — do not use paid ads
• Scroll past results labeled Ad or Sponsored and look for the .gov ending
• Get free help comparing plans via your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), Senior Medicare Patrol, or HealthCare.gov "Find Local Help"
• Report suspected health insurance scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and your state attorney general; Medicare-related issues also at Medicare.gov

Still circulating?

FTC September 28, 2026 alert ahead of Open Enrollment; Medicare Open Enrollment typically runs mid-October through early December.