Scam awareness
🏛️ Fake Medicare, Social Security, or IRS calls
Someone claims to be from the government, threatening fines or loss of benefits unless you pay or share information.
Reviewed May 2026
🚩 Warning signs
- A caller says your Social Security number is "suspended" or your benefits will stop.
- They threaten arrest, fines, or deportation unless you pay right away.
- They ask for your Medicare number, Social Security number, or bank details.
- They want payment by gift card, wire, or cryptocurrency.
✅ What to do
- Hang up. Government agencies do not call to threaten you or demand instant payment.
- Never give your Medicare or Social Security number to someone who called you.
- If unsure, call the agency back using the official number from your card or their real website.
- Medicare numbers are valuable — guard yours like a credit card.
📖 A real example
A recorded voice told Dorothy her Social Security number was 'linked to a crime.' It was a scam — the real agency would never call and threaten her.
🆘 If it already happened
- If you shared your Medicare or Social Security number, report it (links below) and watch your statements.
- If you paid, contact your bank or card company right away.
Reassurance: being targeted is not your fault, and it happens to careful people every day. Acting quickly helps.
Real agencies communicate mostly by mail and never threaten you into instant payment. Fear and urgency are the scammer’s only real tools.
📞 Report it or get help