Medicare and Social Security Scams: What the Real Agencies Will Never Ask For

Scammers impersonating Medicare or the Social Security Administration count on two things: the authority those names carry, and the fact that real government processes are confusing enough that a fake one can sound plausible. Here's what actually separates the real thing from a scam.

What the real Social Security Administration will never do

• Call and threaten to suspend your Social Security number — Social Security numbers are not suspended.
• Demand payment by gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency.
• Threaten immediate arrest if you don't pay right now.
• Ask you to confirm your full Social Security number over an unexpected phone call.

What the real Medicare program will never do

• Call uninvited asking you to "confirm" your Medicare number to send you a new card.
• Offer a "free" genetic test, brace, or medical device in exchange for your Medicare number.
• Threaten to cancel your coverage if you don't act immediately.
• Contact you door-to-door or by phone to enroll you in a plan you didn't ask about.

The pattern behind almost all of these scams

Urgency plus an unusual payment method plus a request for information the agency should already have — that combination is the signature of a scam, regardless of which agency's name is being used.

What to do if you get a call like this

1. Hang up. You don't owe anyone on the phone an explanation.
2. If you're worried there might be a real issue, call the agency back yourself using the number on ssa.gov or medicare.gov — never a number given to you by the caller.
3. Report it. Social Security scams can be reported to the SSA Office of the Inspector General, and Medicare scams to 1-800-MEDICARE.