HEALTH CARE BUZZ: Don't fall victim to Social Security scams

We continue to hear of many different scams targeting seniors — from text messages to phone calls, to threats of losing their Social Security monthly payments to continued nuisance contacts.

The Office of Inspector General works together with the Social Security Administration to protect you from scams that use Social Security as “bait.” Section 1140 of the Social Security Act allows the OIG to impose penalties against anyone who engages in misleading SS-related advertising or imposter communications.

For example, the OIG will impose penalties against anyone who does the following:

If you receive a misleading or suspicious Social Security-related advertisement or imposter communications, please let the OIG know immediately. Try to capture as much information about the communication as you can.

Here’s what you can do, as per the OIG’s directive:

You can help stop misleading advertising and communication by reporting potential scams to the Office of Inspector General. Please call the office’s fraud hotline at 800-269-0271. Please share this information with family and friends and help spread the word on social media.

Day Egusquiza

Day Egusquiza is the president and founder of the Patient Financial Navigator Foundation Inc. — an Idaho-based family foundation. For more information, call 208-423-9036 or go to pfnfinc.com. Do you have a topic for Health Care Buzz? Please share at [email protected].

Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter.

Retirement may come with some hard truths if you’re not more careful about understanding these misconceptions. Veuer’s Chloe Hurst has the story!