All Medicare beneficiaries will receive new Medicare identification cards beginning in April 2018, prompting the Missouri SMP (Senior Medicare Patrol) to warn people about potential scammers.

New and existing Medicare beneficiaries will receive a new Medicare card between April 2018 and April 2019. Medicare will remove the Social Security numbers from Medicare cards and mail each person a new red, white and blue card with an alpha-numeric number, according to a news release from Care Connection.

This change is meant to keep beneficiaries’ information more secure and help protect their identity. Each beneficiary will receive a unique Medicare number to be used only for Medicare coverage.

Consumers need to beware of anyone who contacts them about their new Medicare card. Medicare will not call them seeking personal or information in order to receive a new number or card. Medicare already has that information, according to the news release.

“If someone makes that call to you seeking your Medicare number or bank account number, don’t give that information,” said Missouri SMP Director Rona McNally, who’s concerned that news of the new cards will prompt fraudsters to come up with new scams.

To report suspected Medicare fraud or abuse to the Missouri Senior Medicare Patrol, call 888-515-6565. SMPs are funded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living, Administration on Aging.