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Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft


How can I protect myself from identity theft?

Identity theft happens when someone uses your personal information without your consent to commit fraud or other crimes. Personal information includes things like your name and your Social Security, Medicare, credit card or bank account numbers, and your Medicare.gov user name and password. Guard your cards and protect your Medicare and Social Security Numbers. Keep this information safe.

Only give personal information, like your Medicare Number, to doctors, insurers or plans acting on your behalf and/ or trusted people in the community who work with Medicare like your State Health Insurance Program (SHIP). Don't share your Medicare Number or other personal information with anyone who contacts you by phone, email, or in person. Medicare, or someone representing Medicare, will only call you in limited situations:
  • Medicare health or drug plan can call if you're already a member of the plan. The agent who helped you join can also call.
  • A customer service representative from 1-800-MEDICARE can call you if you've called and left a message, or a representative said that someone would call you back. If you suspect identity theft or feel like you gave your personal information to someone you shouldn't have, call your local police department and the Federal Trae Commission's ID Theft hotline at 1-877-438-4338. TTY users can call 1-866-653-4261. Visit ftc.gob/idtheft to learn more.

How can I protect myself from fraud and medical identity theft?

Medical fraud and medical identity theft can cost taxpayers billions of dollars each year. Medical identity theft is when someone steals or uses your personal information to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare and other health insurers without your permission. When you get health care services, record the dates on a calendar and save the receipts and statements you get from providers to check for mistakes. If you think you see an error or are billed for services you didn't get, take these steps to find out what was billed:

  • Check your "Medicare Summary Notice" (MSN) if you have Original Medicare to see if the service was billed to Medicare. If you're in a Medicare health plan, check the statements you get from your plan.
  • If you know the health care provider or supplier, call and ask for an itemized statement. They should give this to you within 30 days.
  • Visit MyMedicare.gov to view your Medicare claims if you have Original Medicare. Your claims are generally available online within 24 hours after processing. You can also download your claims information by suing Medicare's Blue Button.

If you've contacted the provider and you suspect that Medicare is being charged for a service that you didn't get, or you don't know the provider on the claim, call 1-800-MEDICARE.

Visit Medicare.gov, or contact your local Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) for more information.
For information about the SMP program, visit smpresources.org or call 1-877-808-2468.
You can also visit oig.hhs.gov or call the fraud hotline of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477). 







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