Tag: Social Security

How to Shut Down Social Security Scams

The Inspector General for the Social Security Administration (SSA) has designated March 9, 2023, as National “Slam the Scam” Day – an outreach campaign to raise public awareness of Social Security scams and other government imposter scams.  This is part of National Consumer Protection Week, March 5 – 11, 2023.  We are asking you to share…

Help Your Patients Guard Against Social Security Scams

The Inspector General for the Social Security Administration (SSA) has designated Thursday, March 10, 2022 as National “Slam the Scam” Day—an outreach campaign to raise public awareness of Social Security scams and other government imposter scams.  This is part of National Consumer Protection Week, March 6 – 12, 2022.

NAHC will be sharing information about “Slam the Scam” Day and we hope you will share it with your clients, friends, and family.

In 2021, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received over 396,000 complaints of government imposter scams.  Nearly 9% said they lost money to a scammer—more than $442 million.  To prevent further losses, we urge everyone to use caution when receiving calls from someone claiming to be from a government agency.

Here are a few things to remember and share with clients, friends, and family. The SSA will never:

  • Threaten arrest or legal action if someone does not immediately send money to resolve an overpayment.
  • Promise to increase benefits or resolve identity theft issues for a fee or by moving money into a protected account.
  • Require payment with a retail gift card, prepaid debit card, cryptocurrency, wire transfer, internet currency, or by mailing cash.
  • Send text or email messages that contain personal information.

The SSA’s scam prevention message is simple:

  • Hang up on suspicious calls from “government officials” calling about a problem with your Social Security number or account.
  • NEVER make payments with gift cards, wire transfers, or by mailing cash.
  • Report Social Security scams to OIG.SSA.GOV.
  • Report other scams to reportfraud.ftc.gov.

Read and share the SSA’s Scam Awareness Toolkit and Scam Alert infographic.

Help Your Patients Guard Against Social Security Scams

The Inspector General for the Social Security Administration (SSA) has designated Thursday, March 10, 2022 as National “Slam the Scam” Day—an outreach campaign to raise public awareness of Social Security scams and other government imposter scams.  This is part of National Consumer Protection Week, March 6 – 12, 2022. NAHC will be sharing information about “Slam…

Guard Your Card – Protect What’s Important to You and Your Patients

The Social Security Administration is asking NAHC to help spread the word about carefully guarding their private Social Security information. The best way to “Guard Your Card” is to keep it in a safe place and share it only when required. Do not carry the card every day. In fact, in most cases, just knowing the Social Security number should be enough. For example, when requesting a Real ID, all states, except for Pennsylvania, no longer require seeing your Social Security card.

Your clients should be careful about sharing their Social Security number when asked for it. It’s important to always ask why the number is needed, how it will be used, and what will happen if it is not provided.

If your client needs to request a replacement Social Security card, they may be able to use their personal my Social Security account to request it on our website. If they live in one of 45 participating states or the District of Columbia, and they do not need any changes to the replacement card, they can request it free online.

Visit Social Security Number and Card webpage to learn more about Social Security cards. Read and share our factsheet, How You Can Help Us Protect Your Social Security Number and Keep Your Information Safe, and infographic, Guard Your Card, with your clients, friends, and family.

Guard Your Card – Protect What’s Important to You and Your Patients

The Social Security Administration is asking NAHC to help spread the word about carefully guarding their private Social Security information. The best way to “Guard Your Card” is to keep it in a safe place and share it only when required. Do not carry the card every day. In fact, in most cases, just knowing the…

Guard Your Card – Protect What’s Important to You and Your Patients

The Social Security Administration is asking NAHC to help spread the word about carefully guarding their private Social Security information. The best way to “Guard Your Card” is to keep it in a safe place and share it only when required. Do not carry the card every day. In fact, in most cases, just knowing the Social Security number should be enough. For example, when requesting a Real ID, all states, except for Pennsylvania, no longer require seeing your Social Security card.

Your clients should be careful about sharing their Social Security number when asked for it. It’s important to always ask why the number is needed, how it will be used, and what will happen if it is not provided.

If your client needs to request a replacement Social Security card, they may be able to use their personal my Social Security account to request it on our website. If they live in one of 45 participating states or the District of Columbia, and they do not need any changes to the replacement card, they can request it free online.

Visit Social Security Number and Card webpage to learn more about Social Security cards. Read and share our factsheet, How You Can Help Us Protect Your Social Security Number and Keep Your Information Safe, and infographic, Guard Your Card, with your clients, friends, and family.

NAHC to Congress: Protect Social Security, Medicare from Spending Cuts

The National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) has joined with a group of like-minded groups in the Leadership Council of Aging Organzations (LCAO) in urging Congress to protect vital programs like Medicare and Social Security from steep and unnecessary spending cuts that could cause considerable harm to America’s elderly and disabled populations. NAHC…

Poll: Long-Term Care a Concern for the Young and Hispanics

Many young Americans are already providing care to an older loved one, but they feel unprepared for the task, while Hispanics, in particular, worry about finding home health care they can afford and an aide who speaks their language. That’s according to The Long-Term Care Poll, an annual survey from the AP-NORC Center, a collaboration…

Scammers Already Targeting New Medicare Cards

As loyal NAHC Report readers know well by now, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will begin issuing a new Medicare Card this month, without Social Security Numbers, starting this month. The cards, which were mandated by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) of 2015, will be mailed out to every…