Scammers Exploit Medicare Data Breach with Fake Plastic Cards Following a Medicare data breach earlier this year, 1.3 million beneficiaries are receiving new paper Medicare cards in the mail but scammers are capitalizing on the situation by distributing fake plastic cards designed to steal personal and financial information. The Alabama Department of Senior Services has issued a warning after fraudulent cards began appearing in mailboxes statewide. These counterfeit cards urge recipients to "activate" them, a tactic used to harvest sensitive data. According to Jamie Harding of AARP Alabama, scammers are leveraging awareness of the breach to deceive victims. If activated, the fake cards could expose Social Security numbers, Medicare numbers (enabling fraudulent charges), and even bank account details. Official Medicare cards are always made of paper, never plastic, and require no activation or payment. AARP Alabama reports that scammers have already targeted real individuals, including one of their volunteers. Authorities urge beneficiaries to verify any unexpected cards and report suspicious activity to Medicare (1-800-MEDICARE) or the Alabama Department of Senior Services (1-800-AGE-LINE). Those who may have fallen victim should contact local law enforcement.