Health insurance scam call: “you qualify” is the bait
Editorially reviewed · Last updated September 8, 2026
Yes — this is a scam. An unverified caller demanding personal or payment details is a scam warning. A subsidized or $0-premium plan alone is not proof of fraud.
Exhibit · Phone call
“This is the Health Enrollment Center. Open enrollment is closing and you've been pre-qualified for a comprehensive $0-premium plan with a government subsidy. To lock it in before the deadline, I just need to verify your Social Security and Medicare numbers and a card for the first month.”
Other versions you might get: A text or ad promising “free” comprehensive coverage, a “free health screening” or “free gift” used to harvest your Medicare number, or a caller claiming to be from “the marketplace” or “Medicare.” Insurance robocalls topped consumer phone-scam complaints — the volume is real, the offers aren't.
What to do right now
- Hang up. Don't confirm your name, SSN, Medicare number, or a card, and don't press any key.
- Find coverage through a verified route. Start with HealthCare.gov or your state marketplace. Licensed, registered agents and approved enrollment partners can also help. Verify any broker independently before sharing personal details.
- If you gave your SSN or Medicare number, treat it as identity theft: get a recovery plan at IdentityTheft.gov, consider a credit freeze, and watch for medical bills or claims you don't recognize.
- Report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov, and report Medicare fraud to 1-800-MEDICARE.
- Block the number — though scammers spoof and rotate, so filtering unknown callers helps more.
Reduce the risk of another scam
Hang up and verify the claim through a number you find independently. If you paid or shared account details, start with what to do after a scam. Blocking and reporting can reduce unwanted contact, but they cannot stop every attempt or tell you how the sender found you.
● Public service · free steps first
Take the free protection steps first
A suspicious message does not tell us how someone found your details. If you shared personal information, start with the official recovery guidance. You can also freeze your credit for free.
- Freeze your credit — free at all three bureausRestricts access to your credit report for new credit applications. It does not protect existing accounts from misuse.
- Report it and get a recovery plan at IdentityTheft.govThe FTC walks you through exactly what to do next, for free.
Decide what protection you need
Start with the free controls above. Compare what a paid service would add only after deciding which problem remains.
No purchase needed. How we use evidence.
Frequently asked
Is a “you're pre-qualified for a $0 health plan” call a scam?
How do I buy real ACA or marketplace health coverage?
They asked for my SSN or Medicare number — what if I gave it?
Why do I get so many health-insurance robocalls?
Related scams
Medicare phone scam: is that call real?
Got a call about your Medicare card being cancelled or a new card you need to “verify”? Here's the verdict and what to do.
Auto warranty call scam: is that call real?
Got a call about your car's expiring warranty or “final notice”? Here's the verdict on the auto warranty call scam and what to do.
Bank fraud call scam: is that call real?
Got a call from your bank's fraud department saying there's suspicious activity on your account? Here's the verdict and what to do.
Sources
- 01Spot Health Insurance Scams— Federal Trade Commission
- 02Looking for health insurance? Make sure that's what you're getting— Federal Trade Commission
- 03Phone scams— Federal Trade Commission
- 04Protect yourself from Health Insurance Marketplace fraud— healthcare.gov
- 05Official security and fraud guidance— healthcare.gov
Pass it on
Help protect someone else
If this could have fooled you, it can fool someone you know — a parent, a friend, the family group chat. It's safe to forward, and stands on its own as a record for a bank or the police.