Is that call about your Medicare card legitimate or just another scam?

Getting a call out of the blue from someone claiming to be with a government agency can be hard to ignore, especially if they claim there's a problem with your benefits.

Diane asked the CBS13 I-Team:

Unfortunately, this is a scam and one the Federal Trade Commission says is currently seeing a spike.

The impostor scammers are calling people up, asking for their Medicare number so they can help order them new plastic cards.

The only problem is that Medicare cards are paper, and the agency says it has no plans to offer plastic cards.

Here's what you should know to avoid this latest scam.

First. guard your Medicare card like it's a credit card and never share the number. Medicare will never call you to verify your card.

So, if you get a call from someone seeking that number, it's best to hang up and call the agency back directly.

Medicare cards are free so anyone saying you need to pay for a replacement or some type of other benefit that's a big red flag.

Americans lost more than $100 billion to Medicare and Medicaid fraud last year. So, scams like this aren't going anywhere.

The best thing to remember is that if Medicare needs to reach you about your benefits, they'll do it in writing by mail first.