Medicare scams are showing up in paid search results. Here's what to know.

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Medicare open enrollment for 2027 begins this week, and the Federal Trade Commission is warning beneficiaries to stay alert to online scams.

Scammers can become more active during open enrollment, when more people are searching for and updating their plan information. This year, the FTC expects many of them to appear in paid search ads. These are sponsored posts that can appear at the top of the search results when you look for Medicare information.

According to the FTC, "Bad actors often use web addresses that look similar to government website addresses. They also use keywords and official-looking logos to make you think you're at the real Healthcare.gov or Medicare.gov when you're not."

Here's what Medicare recipients should look for this open enrollment season , and how to avoid potential scams:

Medicare open enrollment and online fraud

Medicare open enrollment for 2027 runs from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7.

During this window, beneficiaries can review their existing plans, switch from a traditional Medicare plan to a Medicare Advantage plan (or vice versa), change or sign up for a Medicare Part D plan, and more. Beneficiaries typically receive an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) letter before open enrollment, outlining changes to their plan.

Scams targeting Medicare recipients can happen any time of the year — not just during open enrollment. Common methods scammers use to contact beneficiaries can range from fraudulent phone calls or text messages to fake Medicare representatives at the front door or emails pretending to be from a doctor or insurance company.

Often, they try to get people to pay for a fake plan or service, or they want to access users' Medicare or Social Security numbers to commit identity theft. The National Council on Aging says common tactics include pressuring beneficiaries to switch their Medicare plans, attempting to upgrade or renew their Medicare cards, or threatening to cancel coverage — all with the goal of getting personal information.

With this information, scammers may be able to get medical care, access prescription drugs, or submit claims under your plan, according to the FTC. For the victims of these scams, this could lead to increased costs for medical care they didn't actually receive, and even to inaccurate medical records.

This year, the FTC is specifically warning Medicare beneficiaries about online scams in which bad actors may impersonate government websites. They may imitate government logos and have authentic-looking websites, and then pay to appear at the top of online search results.

But like phone and email scams, clicking those fake ad links could lead beneficiaries to accidentally give away their personal information and expose them to the same identity theft risks.

If you're participating in Medicare open enrollment this year, it's important to take some steps to keep your personal information safe online. Here are some things to keep in mind:

When you're searching for the Medicare website, take time to ensure you choose the right search result. If you just choose the first result you see, you could be directed to the wrong site.

Avoid paid search results, which typically have "ad" or "sponsored" next to them, and scroll down to the non-sponsored results. The official Medicare website will always be a ".gov" site.

When paid-search scammers get you to click on their sponsored results, the websites those links direct you to can look like official government websites. They may even have information about the Medicare plans you're looking for.

However, you should always double-check the web address to make sure you're at the site you meant to navigate to. The official Medicare website is Medicare.gov, and the general health insurance marketplace website is Healthcare.gov. Always look for a ".gov" web address.

You can also avoid search results altogether by typing the correct government URLs into your browser directly.

If you receive an unexpected call from someone claiming to be a Medicare representative, don't give them your Medicare or Social Security number. This is especially true if they're using common scam tactics, such as canceling your coverage or issuing a new Medicare card.

If you're unsure about a call, you can hang up and contact Medicare directly by phone at 800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227). Representatives are available 24/7.

If you come across a scam while searching for Medicare information, you can report it to the FTC or on the Medicare.gov website .

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