A Practical Guide: How to Protect Yourself and Your Information

Now that you know what the common scams look like, let’s focus on the simple, powerful steps you can take to keep your information safe. Protecting your Medicare number is one of the most important things you can do to prevent senior fraud.

First, treat your Medicare card and number like you would a credit card or your Social Security number. This means you should not carry your Medicare card with you everywhere you go. Keep it in a safe place at home. Only take it with you when you are going to a doctor’s appointment or to the pharmacy for the first time. The more you carry it, the greater the risk of it being lost or stolen.

Second, guard your number closely. The cardinal rule is this: Medicare will never call you uninvited and ask for your Medicare number. The same goes for the Social Security Administration. If someone calls you and asks for it, it is a scam. Hang up the phone. You should only give your Medicare number to your doctor, pharmacist, or other healthcare providers that you know and trust. Remember, you are the one who should initiate the contact.

Third, make a habit of reviewing your Medicare Summary Notice (MSN). As we mentioned, this is your best tool for catching fraud early. When your MSN arrives in the mail (or you view it online), take a few minutes to look it over. Do you recognize the names of the doctors? Did you receive the services listed on those dates? If something looks wrong, circle it and call the number on the notice right away to report the error.

Fourth, be deeply skeptical of any “free” offers. In the world of healthcare, very little is truly free. If a company calls you with an offer that sounds too good to be true, it probably is. They are using the promise of something “free” to get their hands on your valuable Medicare number. Just say “no, thank you” and hang up.

Fifth, shred any documents with your personal information before you throw them away. This includes old medical bills, old prescription labels, and any mail that contains your Medicare or Social Security number. Scammers are not above digging through trash to find what they’re looking for.

For more great resources on protecting yourself from scams and managing your finances, you can consult trusted organizations like the National Council on Aging (NCOA) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

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