Medicare and Social Security scams: Warning signs and tips

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2026 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by LSEG. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on FoxNews.com. Medicare and Social Security scams target older adults by impersonating trusted government programs and creating fear around benefits, medical coverage or legal trouble. The scam may arrive as a phone call, text, email, social media ad or even a message that appears to come from a benefits office. The goal is usually simple: get sensitive information, redirect money or pressure someone into acting before they stop to verify the story. These scams are effective because they sound official. A caller may claim your Medicare account needs to be verified, your Social Security number has been linked to fraud or your benefits are about to be suspended. In reality, that urgency is often the biggest warning sign. Once people know the patterns, these schemes become much easier to