COLUMBUS — The Ohio Department of Insurance issued a consumer alert last month and continues to urge Ohioans on Medicare to be alert for telephone scammers posing as representatives of the government to steal their personal information.

Called the “New Medicare Card” scam, the scammers are posing as employees of the Social Security Administration, Medicare, and Ohio Department of Insurance. They call their intended victims and say the person needs a new Medicare card or they need to turn in their paper card for a plastic card. The scammers then request the person’s personal information. Government agencies, such as the Social Security Administration, Medicare, and the Ohio Department of Insurance do not cold call Ohioans on Medicare.

Ohioans who suspect or have been victimized by a Medicare scam should contact the Ohio Senior Medicare Patrol at 800-488-6070 or proseniors.org.