untrappable

Health insurance scam call: “you qualify” is the bait

Editorially reviewed · Last updated July 16, 2026

Yes — this is a scam. No real insurer or government agency cold-calls to “pre-qualify” you and take your SSN over the phone.

Incoming call
Scam Likely
(800) 555-0166
maybe: Health Enrollment Center
Voicemail transcript

“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.”

The Phone call, as received

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

  1. Hang up. Don't confirm your name, SSN, Medicare number, or a card, and don't press any key.
  2. Buy real coverage yourself at HealthCare.gov or your state marketplace — that's the only guaranteed ACA source. Verify any broker independently before sharing anything.
  3. 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.
  4. Report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov, and report Medicare fraud to 1-800-MEDICARE.
  5. Block the number — though scammers spoof and rotate, so filtering unknown callers helps more.

How to make sure it never bites you

These calls reach you because your number is on sold lists, and insurance robocalls are among the most common complaints regulators receive — so the volume isn't your fault. Cut it off at the source: see how to stop spam calls. If you shared your SSN or Medicare number, lock down your identity next.

Untrappable · Public service advisory

Stop the next one at the source

You got this because your details are on lists that get bought, sold, and leaked. You can't unspill that, but you can make it useless to a scammer. Start with the free steps — they do most of the work.

Optional — if you'd rather it was handled for you

If you'd rather have it watched for you, an identity-protection service monitors your accounts, SSN, and the dark web, warns you the moment something new appears, and helps you recover if someone gets through.

See identity protection →

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Keep this · forward it to someone who needs it

Frequently asked

Is a “you're pre-qualified for a $0 health plan” call a scam?
Yes. No real insurer or government agency cold-calls to “pre-qualify” you for a free plan and then asks for your Social Security or Medicare number on the spot. Real ACA coverage is bought at HealthCare.gov or your state marketplace, where you start the process yourself. The FTC warns that these “free” or “subsidized” plan calls are bait to harvest your details or sell you junk coverage.
How do I buy real ACA or marketplace health coverage?
Go to HealthCare.gov — or your state's official marketplace — and start the application yourself. That's the only guaranteed place to get real ACA plans and any subsidy you qualify for. If you use a broker, find and verify them independently; never hand your SSN to someone who called you unexpectedly.
They asked for my SSN or Medicare number — what if I gave it?
Treat it as identity theft and act now. Get a free step-by-step recovery plan at IdentityTheft.gov, consider freezing your credit, and watch for unfamiliar medical bills, claims, or new accounts. Report Medicare fraud at 1-800-MEDICARE and file with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Why do I get so many health-insurance robocalls?
Because your number sits on lists that get bought and sold, and health-insurance robocalls are among the highest-volume scam-call categories regulators track. Blocking one number rarely helps — scammers spoof and rotate. Turning on your phone's spam filtering and getting your number off data-broker lists cuts the volume far more; see our stop spam calls steps.

Related scams

Sources

A public service

Help protect someone else

Scams spread because people stay quiet about them. If this could have fooled you, it can fool someone you know — a parent, a friend, the family group chat. Passing it on is the easiest good thing you'll do today. It's safe to forward, and stands on its own as a record for a bank or the police.