senior Scoops

Do’s and don’ts with our vital information

Medicare and Social Security fraud, coupled with the threat of identity theft, pose a risk to both individuals and society at large.

Medicare is a vital lifeline for countless senior citizens. Sadly, unscrupulous individuals are exploiting this system’s vulnerabilities in a bid to siphon off funds meant for those who genuinely need it.

A Social Security number is the cornerstone of our financial identity. If it is compromised and falls into the wrong hands, our entire financial outlook, from bank accounts to benefits, could be put at risk.

That can not be overstated!

There is an army of thieves out there contacting senior citizens every day in an effort to separate them from these two vital pieces of information.

Don’t help them on social media

Birthdays are special to people, and we love the yearly well-wishes posted on Facebook. However, it’s not recommended to publish our birthdays on any social media platform. Many people also give away where they live and their place of employment. All these bits of information go to build a profiles. Exactly what a scammer is looking for.

That is only the tip of the social media iceberg.

I’m a member of several “retirement” and “investment” groups on Facebook and Reddit. It is surprising to see the amount of personal information volunteered in these groups. Some will share screenshots of their brokerage accounts to boast of a recent stock winner. Others, offer their net worth with a breakdown of their assets. They may also mention which banks they use.

Malicious individual target these groups. They become trusted members by posting valuable content. They form relationships, which enable them to garner even more information. Then they double back to homepages to see what else is available.

Identity theft is a multi-step process.

The scam

It is Tuesday morning, you are sitting in your favorite easy chair watching The Price is Right. All you are thinking is, “this show hasn’t been the same since Bob Barker retired.” (RIP Bob).

The phone rings.

You–Hello

Scammer–Good morning my name is Carol Flint —badge number F985427. I am calling from the Social Security Administration. Am I speaking to Mr. John Doe?

You–Err—Yes

Scammer–We have detected inaccuracies concerning the income report from a former employer which could impact you monthly Social Security benefit.

You–(sweating just a bit) What?

Scammer–First let me verify some information,

you live at, 123 Main St., Anytown, USA

You—Yes

Scammer—Your birthday is March 6th, 1952?

You–Yes

Scammer— And, you worked for Acme Rockets Inc. from 1984 until you retired in 2021, is that correct?

(Do you see the credibility they are building?)

You–Yes I worked at Acme Rockets.

Scammer–Ok Good, if you can just go ahead and verify your Social Security number we can get started.

You–(this is the moment of truth-what are you going to do?)

These scammers are skilled at what they do. They create an atmosphere that may be difficult to resist. When you get this call, you have no thoughts of your FB birthday greetings–all you are thinking about is that monthly Social Security check. The last thing you want to do is piss Carol Flint off.

But, you must–HANG UP ON HER!

What to do

A government agency will never call looking for that information—they already have it.

So, if you ever suspect that you are being targeted by a bad actor looking for your information, cease contact and report them immediately.

Make a quick note of the phone number it came from (it’s very likely a phony number) and any details of the conversation.

If it is a Medicaid-related issue contact the Medicaid fraud hotline at (888) 364-3224.

If it is Social Security fraud go to https://www.ssa.gov/scam/ This is a site the SS Administration has set up to field such complaints.

The good folks at the Social Security Administration will also have advice for protecting yourself if you did give away your information.

Lastly, do not make it easier for thieves by broadcasting personal information on social media. Or, anywhere else.

A few less birthday greetings on Facebook is a small price to pay to avoid the nightmare of identity theft.

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This is the first in a series of articles to raise our awareness of scams targeting seniors.

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