The short answer
A real government agency will not threaten you with arrest or the loss of your benefits, will not demand immediate payment, and will not ask you to pay with a gift card, cash, wire transfer or cryptocurrency. Applying for Social Security, SSI, SNAP, Medicaid or Medicare costs nothing, and annual increases such as the cost-of-living adjustment arrive without any action from you. If a call, text, email or letter breaks these rules, stop, do not use the phone number or link it gives, and check with the agency through its official number or website. Report Social Security scams to the SSA Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov/report, Medicare scams to 1-800-MEDICARE, and stolen SNAP benefits to your state agency. If you already paid or shared information, call your bank at once and visit IdentityTheft.gov.
Why benefit scams work
Scammers time their messages for moments when people expect to hear from an agency: a pending claim, the yearly benefit increase, Medicare's open enrollment, or a new card. They use real agency names, official-looking letters and caller ID that shows a government number. They aim for one of three things: your money, your personal details, or access to your benefit account. This guide lists the forms the scams take, the rules real agencies follow, and what to do if you have already responded.
What benefit scams look like
- A call or text saying your Social Security number has been suspended, linked to a crime or used in another state, and that you must pay or confirm details to fix it.
- An offer to activate a benefit increase, refund or cost-of-living adjustment. The Social Security adjustment is automatic and needs no action; see our COLA guide.
- A caller offering a new Medicare card, free genetic tests, braces or other equipment in exchange for your Medicare number.
- A person or website charging a fee to apply for benefits, speed up a claim or guarantee approval.
- A text or email with a link to update your direct deposit or log in to your account.
- Card skimmers hidden on store card readers that copy your SNAP EBT card and PIN, after which the benefits are spent elsewhere.
- An unemployment claim filed in your name by someone who stole your identity.
Some offer something instead of threatening, such as a government grant you never applied for or a refund you are owed. The pressure is the same either way: act now, and tell no one.
What a real agency would never do
Social Security says its employees will not threaten you with arrest or other legal action if you do not provide information or pay a fee. Social Security and its Office of the Inspector General will not demand immediate payment, and will not ask you to pay with gift cards, prepaid debit cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency or cash by mail. It generally contacts people only when they have asked for contact or have business under way, such as an open claim, and real email from it comes from addresses ending in .gov.
Medicare's anti-fraud guidance is similar. Medicare will not contact you uninvited to ask for your Medicare number or to sell you something; the exceptions are a plan you already belong to, an agent you used, or a call back you asked for. Applying for benefits is free everywhere, so a fee to apply or to speed up a decision is a warning sign. Our guide to applying for benefits explains the official ways to apply.
Why caller ID and personal details prove nothing
Scammers can make a call appear to come from a real government number, including the Inspector General's own fraud hotline. The Inspector General has said its staff do not make outgoing calls from that number, so a call that shows it is a scam. A caller who says another company or agency is transferring you directly to Social Security is also a warning sign.
Knowing your name, address or the last digits of your Social Security number is not proof of identity either. That information is often bought from data breaches. Never give your full Social Security number, bank details, Medicare number or a one-time security code to someone who contacted you.
What to do with a suspicious message
- Stop. Hang up, do not reply and do not click links or open attachments.
- Look up the agency's number yourself. Social Security's national number is 1-800-772-1213 and Medicare's is 1-800-633-4227. Use the agency's own website, not a search ad.
- Check your own account. A my Social Security account shows whether there is anything real to act on, and your state's SNAP or Medicaid portal shows your case.
- Talk to someone you trust before paying or sharing anything. A real deadline will still be there tomorrow.
Example (hypothetical): the suspended number call
Walter gets a call showing a government number. A recorded voice says his Social Security number is suspended and an officer will call him back about a warrant. He hangs up, calls Social Security at the number on its website, and learns there is no problem with his record. He reports the call to the Inspector General and tells his sister, who receives benefits too.
Where to report a scam
- Social Security scams: the SSA Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov/report.
- Medicare scams or charges for services you did not get: 1-800-MEDICARE.
- Stolen SNAP benefits or a skimmed EBT card: your state SNAP agency. Ask for a new card and PIN at once.
- An unemployment claim in your name: the unemployment agency of the state where it was filed, and your employer.
- Other impostor scams: the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. USAGov lists where to report scams that use other agencies' names.
If you already paid or shared information
Act quickly, because some losses can be stopped if you move within hours. Call your bank or card issuer to stop or dispute payments and protect your accounts. If you gave out your Social Security number, visit IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan, and consider a fraud alert or credit freeze with the credit bureaus. If someone may have changed your direct deposit, call Social Security; a my Social Security account can also alert you to changes in your address or bank details.
For SNAP, there is an important limit. Federal authority to replace benefits stolen by skimming ended for thefts after December 20, 2024, and as of this review Congress has not restored it, so lost SNAP benefits generally cannot be replaced with federal funds. Changing your PIN regularly, locking your card between uses where your state's app allows it, and checking the card reader before you swipe are the best protection. Our SNAP guide covers the program itself.
Common mistakes
- Calling back the number left in a voicemail or text instead of the agency's official number.
- Trusting caller ID or an official-looking letterhead.
- Paying a fee to get help applying, when applying is free.
- Keeping quiet out of embarrassment. Reporting helps investigators and protects others.
- Leaving a benefit card with the same PIN for years.
Switching to direct deposit also removes the risk of a stolen paper check; see our guide to the end of paper benefit checks.
Common questions
Will Social Security ever call and threaten to suspend my number?
No. Social Security says its employees do not threaten people with arrest, legal action or the suspension of a Social Security number. A call that does is a scam.
Do I have to pay to apply for Social Security, SSI or Medicaid?
No. Applying for these benefits is free, so a request for a fee, a gift card or a wire transfer to process or speed up a claim is a warning sign.
How do I report a Social Security scam?
Report it to the SSA Inspector General online at oig.ssa.gov/report. For Medicare scams, call 1-800-MEDICARE.
Can stolen SNAP benefits be replaced?
Generally not at the moment. Federal authority to replace skimmed benefits covered thefts only through December 20, 2024. Report the theft to your state agency and get a new card and PIN.
What this does not tell you
This article describes patterns that Social Security, Medicare and other agencies have published. Scammers change their methods, so a message that matches none of the warning signs is not proof that it is genuine.
This site cannot verify a message you received and does not collect scam reports. If you are unsure, contact the agency through the number on its official website.
Official sources
What you can do next
Save Social Security's number, 1-800-772-1213, and Medicare's, 1-800-633-4227, in your phone, create your own my Social Security account if you have not, and share the warning signs above with relatives who receive or are about to claim benefits.
