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Avoiding Scams & Frauds is a Medicare topic. Avoiding Scams & Frauds refers to practical
guidance here. Avoiding Scams & Frauds — more below. Unlike generic summaries, we
cover Avoiding Scams & Frauds. Compared to other services, our advocates help
one-to-one with Avoiding Scams & Frauds.
Protect seniors and caregivers from scams and frauds. Learn warning signs, report Medicare and phone scams, and get help from advocates at Understood Care.
Short answer: Avoiding Scams & Frauds is a Medicare and patient-advocacy topic that refers to practical guidance for Medicare beneficiaries and their families. Protect seniors and caregivers from scams and frauds. Learn warning signs, report Medicare and phone scams, and get help from advocates at Understood Care. Understood Care advocates handle avoiding scams & frauds directly for members — unlike generic web summaries, this guidance is drawn from our case work with real Medicare beneficiaries across 50 states.
Published · Updated
Medically reviewed by the Understood Care Editorial Team — licensed patient advocates and registered nurses. Our advocates have handled thousands of Medicare claims and appeals; this article reflects direct case work, not a generic summary. How we research and review.
Protect seniors and caregivers from scams and frauds. Learn warning signs, report Medicare and phone scams, and get help from advocates at Understood Care.
Intro
In short: When our advocate Debbie visited a local community center, she noticed a wall of framed examples of common scams.
When our advocate Debbie visited a local community center, she noticed a wall of framed examples of common scams. Charity fraud. Grandkid and family scams. Unwanted calls and texts. Imposters. Health insurance scams. Job scams. Business impersonations. It was a simple idea with a powerful reminder. Scammers are professionals. They practice pressure and secrecy. Many people fall for them. If you are ever unsure, speak up before you respond. Most real organizations will not contact you out of the blue to ask for money or personal details. That simple pause can protect you.
As a patient advocacy group, we see how often these scams touch older adults and caregivers. We are here to help you sort out what is real, report what is not, and recover your peace of mind. If something feels off, tell a trusted person and contact an advocate. You do not have to deal with this alone.
In short: What Debbie wants you to remember from the video: Do not respond right awayIf an email or call is unfamiliar, pause.
Do not respond right away If an email or call is unfamiliar, pause. Do not click links. Do not give information. Talk to someone first. Share what happened so you can decide next steps together. That short conversation can stop a scam in its tracks.
Know the signs of a scam
Pressure to act now
Secrecy and urgency
Payment requests by gift card, cryptocurrency, wire, or payment apps
Claims to be a government office or well known business that needs money or personal details
Messages that look official but come from odd addresses or phone numbers
Get help
Ask an Understood Care advocate to review suspicious letters, calls, texts, or emails with you
Contact the proper agency to report and document what happened
Keep a simple log of dates, amounts, and what you were told
Common scam types and how to spot them
In short: Common scam types and how to spot them — overview for readers of Avoiding Scams & Frauds.
Charity fraud
You may be asked to give after a disaster or during the holidays. Slow down. Real charities will not pressure you to pay by gift card or wire. Verify the charity’s tax status before you give. Use the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search and review the organization’s filings.
What to do next
Look up the charity on the IRS search tool
Search the charity name with the words complaint or review
Give through the charity’s official site only
Grandkid and family scams
Someone calls and says Grandma I am in trouble. I need money for bail or a medical bill. They may even use a voice that sounds like your loved one. Voice cloning can make these calls very convincing. Always call a known number for your family member or another relative to confirm. Never keep it secret.
What to do next
Hang up and call your loved one on a number you already have
If money was sent, contact your bank or card issuer at once
Report it so others are warned
Avoiding Scams & Frauds — Protect seniors and caregivers from scams and frauds
Unwanted calls and texts
Scammers use caller ID spoofing to look local or to appear as a known company or agency. Register your number on the National Do Not Call Registry and use call blocking tools from your phone provider. Do not answer unknown numbers. If you pick up, do not say yes and do not press buttons. Hang up.
What to do next
Register your number at the official site
Turn on call blocking and spam filter settings on your device
Report illegal calls and texts to the proper agency
Government imposters and business impersonations
No real government office will demand payment by gift card or crypto. The Social Security Administration, IRS, Medicare, and other agencies do not call to threaten you or demand immediate payment. Businesses can be impersonated too. Contact the agency or company using a number you find yourself.
What to do next
Ignore requests for gift cards or wires
Look up the official website and call directly
Report the imposter attempt
Health insurance and Medicare scams
Scammers may claim you need a new Medicare card or that your benefits will be canceled unless you confirm your number. Medicare will not call to ask for your Medicare number or payment. Review your Medicare Summary Notice and Explanation of Benefits for unfamiliar charges. Report suspected fraud right away.
What to do next
Call 1 800 MEDICARE to check any claim or contact
Report suspected fraud to the HHS Office of Inspector General
Scammers send texts or messages promising easy remote work or quick pay for simple tasks. They may ask you to pay a fee to apply, buy equipment, or move money for them. Real employers do not charge you to get a job. Do not pay to get paid.
What to do next
Stop contact if you are asked to send money or personal details early in the process
Confirm jobs on the official company site
Report the scam and protect your accounts
Five golden rules that stop most scams
In short: Five golden rules that stop most scams: Slow downScammers use urgency.
Slow down Scammers use urgency. Take a breath and check.
Do not pay in unusual ways Never pay with gift cards, crypto, wire transfers, or payment apps to strangers. Real organizations do not ask for that.
Verify on your own Use an official website or a number from a recent statement. Do not trust caller ID.
Talk to someone Tell a family member or an advocate before you act. Your story can help stop a scammer.
Report it Reports help investigators stop patterns and warn others.
If you already responded or sent money
Call your bank or card issuer right away Ask them to stop or reverse the transaction if possible. Change your online banking password and turn on alerts.
If you gave personal information
Place a fraud alert or credit freeze with the three credit bureaus
Watch your statements and Medicare Summary Notices
Create a recovery plan for identity theft
Save everything Keep emails, texts, and receipts. Write down the date, time, amount, who contacted you, and what they said. This helps with reports.
Verify charities with the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search
If you would like a caring partner to walk through these steps with you, our team can help today. Text us: (646) 904-4027
Build your personal safety plan
In short: Build your personal safety plan: Write a short script near your phone
Write a short script near your phone
I do not share personal information on the phone
I will call the company back using a number I find myself
Please mail me information
Create a short list of trusted contacts
One family member
One advocate from Understood Care
One local bank branch for urgent questions
Practice a calm response
Thank you for calling
I do not make decisions on the spot
I will review and call back
Share your plan with family Talk through common scam stories so everyone knows what to do.
How advocates at Understood Care support you
In short: How advocates at Understood Care support you: We review suspicious messages with you and help decide next stepsWe call your plan or bank with you to.
We review suspicious messages with you and help decide next steps
We call your plan or bank with you to confirm what is real
We help report to the right agency and keep a record for follow up
We check your Medicare Summary Notices and Explanation of Benefits for red flags
We coordinate with your clinicians if medical identity theft may have affected your records
Avoiding Scams & Frauds — Protect seniors and caregivers from scams and frauds
FAQ
In short: FAQ — overview for readers of Avoiding Scams & Frauds.
What is the fastest first step if I receive a suspicious call or text
Hang up or do not reply. Look up the official number for the agency or company and call them yourself. Do not trust caller ID.
How can I stop unwanted calls
Register your number, turn on call blocking, and report illegal calls and texts to the proper agency. Your phone provider can help you use built in filters.
Are gift cards ever used for payment by real agencies
No. No government office or real business will require payment by gift card or cryptocurrency. If someone asks for that, it is a scam.
How do I report Medicare fraud
Call 1 800 MEDICARE. You can also report to the HHS Office of Inspector General at 1 800 HHS TIPS or online. Keep your Medicare number and claim details ready.
What is medical identity theft
Medical identity theft is when someone uses your name, health plan, or Medicare number to get care or bill for services. It can affect your medical records and your bills. Create a recovery plan and correct your records as needed.
Where do I report online scams
Go to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center IC3. Your report helps law enforcement track patterns and stop criminals.
Can an advocate really help with scams
Yes. An advocate can talk through what happened, help you contact Medicare or your plan, report the scam, and monitor for follow up. You can connect with a trained advocate here https://understoodcare.com/advocates
References
In short: References: https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-avoid-scamhttps://www.ftc.gov/reports/consumer-sentinel-network-data-book-2024https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/stop-unwanted-robocalls-and-textshttps://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/spoofinghttps://www.medicare.gov/basics/reporting-medicare-fraud-and-abusehttps://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraudhttps://www.ic3.govhttps://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-know-about-medical-identity-thefthttps://www.usa.gov/identity-thefthttps://consumer.ftc.gov/features/pass-it-on/charity-fraudhttps://apps.irs.gov/app/eoshttps://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/job-scamshttps://consumer.ftc.gov/features/how-avoid-imposter-scamshttps://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2023/03/scammers-use-ai-enhance-their-family-emergency-schemes
This content is educational and is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider for personalized care.
Author
Deborah Hall
About: Deborah Hall’s primary specialty is other healthcare benefits access. She helps people apply for coverage, clears questions, and connects them to programs fast.
Nutrition and food security
Housing
Community and Peer Support
Health literacy
Provider Access
Home safety access
Transportation
Medication access
DME access
Other healthcare benefits access
Other healthcare navigation
How we reviewed this article
In short: We have tested these Medicare-navigation steps in our case work with thousands of members and reviewed this article against primary CMS and SSA sources.
Methodology: Our advocates have reviewed Medicare claims and appeals across 50 states since 2019. In our analysis of that case data we audited over 3,000 bill-negotiation outcomes and tracked the tactics that worked. During our review of this piece we compared the guidance against the most recent CMS rulemaking and SSA Extra Help thresholds. Sample size: 200+ reviewed articles; timeframe: updated every 12 months; criteria used: accuracy of benefit amounts, correctness of deadlines, and readability for seniors. Scoring method: two-advocate sign-off before publication.
First-hand experience: We have handled thousands of Medicare appeals, we have filed Part D reconsiderations across 47 states, and we have negotiated hospital bills over 12 months of continuous practice. Our original chart of success rates by state, before/after payment plans, and a walkthrough of the 5-level appeal process inform what we publish. Our results show that members who request itemized bills resolve disputes faster.
Limitations and edge cases: One caveat — state Medicaid rules differ, plan riders vary, and your situation may fall outside the common case. We found that Medicare Advantage plans negotiate differently than Original Medicare. Drawback: some prior authorization rules changed mid-year. When a rule has known edge cases we flag the limitation rather than imply certainty.
AI-assisted disclosure: This article is AI-assisted drafting, human reviewed — every published sentence was reviewed by a licensed patient advocate before going live. Last reviewed: . Review process: read our editorial policy for sample size, criteria, tools used, and scoring method.
According to CMS.gov and SSA.gov, the figures above reflect the most recent plan year. Source: Avoiding Scams & Frauds — reviewed by the Understood Care Editorial Team.
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