The Federal Trade Commission issued a fresh warning as Open Enrollment approaches: people searching for Medicare or Marketplace coverage can encounter paid ads and lookalike websites designed to resemble official government pages.
The FTC says the risk is not limited to obviously fake offers. A deceptive result can use familiar keywords, official-looking logos, or a web address that resembles Medicare.gov or HealthCare.gov. Following the wrong ad or phone number could lead to a plan that is not health insurance or expose personal information to identity theft.
Sources: Federal Trade Commission
A fresh seasonal warning about an established scam tactic
The September 29 alert is timely because Open Enrollment sends millions of people online to compare coverage. The tactic itself is established: scammers and dishonest sellers use paid placement, imitation websites, and impersonation to get between a consumer and the service they intended to reach.
HealthCare.gov separately warns that health-insurance scammers may contact people by phone, text, email, or even in person and ask for payment or sensitive information. It tells consumers to rely on official government sources and to be cautious with unsolicited contacts.
“scammers and dishonest businesses sometimes pay to appear at the top.”
Sources: Federal Trade Commission · HealthCare.gov
Why a search result can look more official than it is
A paid result can sit above an organic government result, and a lookalike site can copy colors, logos, and language associated with Medicare or the Marketplace. The FTC specifically advises looking for the small “Ad” or “Sponsored” label and checking for the .gov ending.
The safer habit is to avoid using the advertisement as your verification path. For Medicare, type Medicare.gov yourself. For Marketplace coverage, type HealthCare.gov yourself. Once you are on the official site, use the contact information published there if you need help.
Sources: Federal Trade Commission · HealthCare.gov
The scam can continue by phone or text
A deceptive ad may push you toward a phone number or lead form. HealthCare.gov says scammers may call, email, text, or arrive uninvited while claiming to represent the Marketplace. An unsolicited contact asking for money, a Social Security number, bank information, or other sensitive data deserves an independent check.
If someone claims to be from the Marketplace, you can end the conversation and contact the Marketplace through HealthCare.gov instead. A displayed phone number or a professional-sounding representative is not enough to establish identity.
Sources: HealthCare.gov
If you already entered information or paid
If you gave payment information to a suspicious seller, contact the bank or card issuer promptly and explain what happened. Ask what can be stopped, disputed, or secured. If you shared a password, change it through the real service and change any reused password elsewhere.
If you exposed a Social Security number or other identity information, use IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan. The FTC says suspected health-insurance scams can be reported at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to your state attorney general. Medicare-related scams can also be reported through Medicare.gov.
Sources: Federal Trade Commission · Federal Trade Commission
Use PhoneYa for context, then verify independently
If a questionable health-insurance pitch arrives by phone or text, PhoneYa can show available community reports and other context around the number. That can help you recognize patterns, but it cannot certify that a caller represents Medicare, the Marketplace, an insurer, or an enrollment assistant.
The independent step is what matters: leave the call or message, open the official .gov site yourself, and use the contact information published there.
Sources: Federal Trade Commission · HealthCare.gov
Sources & further reading
- Federal Trade CommissionWhat to know ahead of Open Enrollment to avoid health insurance scams · September 29, 2026
- HealthCare.govProtect yourself from Marketplace fraud & scams
- Federal Trade CommissionWhat To Do if You Were Scammed
By PhoneYa Editorial, based on the sources above.