Frauds & Scams, Medicare

Don’t Be Misled by False Medicare or Social Security Ads

August 16, 2018 • By

Reading Time: 1 Minute

Last Updated: June 30, 2021

person on latptopOnline and otherwise, there’s a lot of information out there, and sometimes it’s difficult to tell what sources are credible. With millions of people relying on Social Security, scammers target audiences who are looking for program and benefit information.

The law that addresses misleading Social Security and Medicare advertising prohibits people or non-government businesses from using words or emblems that mislead others. Their advertising can’t lead people to believe that they represent, are somehow affiliated with, or endorsed or approved by Social Security or the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (Medicare).

People are often misled by advertisers who use the terms “Social Security” or “Medicare.” Often, these companies offer Social Security services for a fee, even though the same services are available directly from Social Security free of charge. These services include getting:

  • A corrected Social Security card showing a person’s married name;
  • A Social Security card to replace a lost card;
  • A Social Security Statement; and
  • A Social Security number for a child.

If you receive misleading information about Social Security, send the complete ad, including the envelope, to:

Office of the Inspector General Fraud Hotline
Social Security Administration
P.O. Box 17768
Baltimore, MD 21235

You can learn more about how we combat fraudulent advertisers by reading our publication What You Need to Know About Misleading Advertising.

You can also report Social Security fraud to the Office of the Inspector General.

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About the Author

Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications

Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications

Comments

  1. Sam K.

    Jim: A lot of us here in Marysville WA are getting phone calls about MEDICARE/MEDICADE. We are getting these 3-5 times a month. You cannot call them back as the phony number is not in service. We get the same thing pertain the IRS. Tried blocking them, but they use an assortment of numbers.

  2. Virgie E.

    I was told everyone was going to be issued new Medicare cards this year (can’t remember why). Still haven’t heard about it received mine.

    Was I misled? Has there been a delay?

    Thanks.

    • Vonda V.

      Hi there. Medicare will automatically mail your new card to the address you have on file with Social Security. As long as your address is up to date, there’s nothing you need to do. Mailing millions of Medicare cards takes some time, so you might get your card at a different time than friends or neighbors in your area.

      Visit Medicare.gov/NewCard and sign up to get email alerts from Medicare. Medicare will send you an email when cards start mailing in your state. Thanks!

  3. Judy A.

    I AM NOT THE ONE THAT RECEIVES SOCIAL SECURITY IT IS BOTH MY PARENTS CHARLES AND MARTHA JOHNSON THEY LIVE IN BEAVER DAM, KY. THEY BOTH ARE IN THEIR LATE 70’S THEY DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO INTERNET AND DON’T KNOW HOW TO USE IT ANYWAY. SO I AM THE MIDDLE MAN I WILL INFORM THEM OF THINGS THAT ARE WILL BE PUT ON INTERNET TO CLEAR ANY FALSE LEADING NEWS THEY MAY HEAR. THANK YOU!!

  4. Paula M.

    I need to change something on my address.

  5. Maleea C.

    Got a call saying my Es will be susSS SS ed due to ilal activity Is this a scam ?

  6. Sheree L.

    Please. Start doing something a lot more to stop this fraud. You’ve got a lot of old people out here that don’t know what they’re doing…. and the rest are so paranoid that they are afraid to do anything. We need help besides the warnings. We’ve got to find a way to put more people & methods of preventing this type of fraud by tracking, arresting & show progress in what’s being done so it truly reduces this type of activity. We’re tired of it but we don’t have the means to stop it.

  7. Eric H.

    I’ve got a congenital bone disease THR ,failed 5 back surgeries and please don’t lower my meds , it may just kill me , my heart is now being effected by the pain from Dr lowering my morphine dose already

  8. tony

    What about Allsup? They claim they have a 96% success rate with SSDI application. I think they bamboozled the SSA. It is like Mr. Social Security who claimed 100% approval. With the new Supreme Court ruling, these companies need to disclose when they tell their clients to get Independent Medical Opinion(IMO) and RFCs. It is like Doctor Shopping. They bamboozled the SSA and can claim 96% success rate.

    Companies like Allsup tell their prospective client to go to their doctor or have another doctor fill out the RFC form before they accept them as clients. Then they submit the RFC form to the SSA and bamboozled the SSA.

    All the big fraud cases are from representatives telling their clients to go doctor shopping. Some even have referrals to a specific crooked doctor.

    • Edward F.

      That is very true..I thought i was alone in all this and thinking to myself is it cause of my race or them being ignorant..I fractured my C5 back home came out in 2016 and applied for SSI in rhode island twice and got denied.Due to being sent to a practice nurse and not a neurosurgeon for physical therapy and still denied..Moved out to Tennessee thinkin it be different and better but its the same..Still the same till now Got denied 3times due to lack of papers..Its really hard to get around with medicaid not alot will acceptFrom then on i doctored myself..Alot dont understand of what we gotta go through in so much pain and still be judge as..

  9. Mary M.

    I just had someone contact me saying they where with social security department I didn’t know what to say and at that moment the call was dissconnected

  10. Brandon T.

    My name is Brandon Traylor I was wondering if I Have ssi Disability I was meant to read to go cover transportation

    • AKA

      Sure sounds like it.

    • Ray F.

      Hello Brandon. Please call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213 for assistance. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
      Generally, you will have a shorter wait time if you call later during the day or later in the week. Thanks!

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