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Reader Alert: A recent “Social Security Data Breach” has affected 2.9 billion people worldwide. Be cautious if you believe this event could have affected you.

Hello Toni:

I was watching the news and discovered that my Social Security number and personal information could have been stolen through the Social Security Data Breach. This situation makes me concerned about my Medicare number and someone filing a false claim. Please advise what I should do to be sure my personal Medicare information is protected from hackers. Thanks Toni.

--James from Nashville, Tenn.

Hi James:

I have good news for you regarding Medicare and the “Social Security Data Breach” which America has recently learned about. In April of 2018, Medicare began mailing new Medicare cards with the new Medicare identification number to all Medicare recipients. Medicare no longer places a Social Security number on the Medicare card and instead assigns 11 random letters and digits which are unique to only you.

James, you do not have to worry about your Social Security number being used for filing a Medicare claim. Only your unique Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) or Medicare number is used. This helps to keep your Medicare safe.

To protect your Medicare information from hackers, America needs to understand that Medicare, Social Security or the IRS will not call, email or text you to ask for your personal identifiable information (PII) such as name, Social Security number, date of birth, address or your personal health information (PHI) from the past, present or future. These government agencies will send a letter through the U.S. Postal Service with information on what PII or PHI information that has been data breached or any action needed on your part.

If you receive a phone call, text, or email from someone saying they’re with Medicare, Social Security or the IRS and you need a new Medicare card or that they need additional personal information from you, this is a scam! Hang up!

For a Medicare data breach notification, you will receive a letter from CMS (Medicare) with details, and you can call Medicare at 800-MEDICARE when you have a question or concern about the letter.

Remember, a U.S. government agency will not randomly call, text, or email you. It is acceptable for you to hang up the phone or delete the text or email. Please be careful when giving a stranger your personal information. Criminals from all over the world are watching the internet to steal what they can without getting caught!

If you believe that your personal information has been compromised:

-- Contact the three credit agencies -- Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion -- to review and monitor your financial accounts for unauthorized activity.

-- Consider placing a “security freeze” on your credit reports with the three credit agencies to avoid unauthorized activity.

-- Make sure passwords are strong and change your passwords every 6 months.

-- Use two-factor authentication for your financial accounts.

-- Stay alert to phishing scams.

-- Keep your security software up to date.

If you would like more information on Social Security or Medicare Data Breach, please Google both topics. You will be amazed at the amount of information on the internet. There were almost 3 billion affected by the most recent Social Security breach, and 254,000 were affected by the 2022 Medicare data breach. Tell your friends and family that it is vital to know who you are talking, texting, or emailing with when it comes to strangers. Standing together, we can stop those who only want to make a fast dollar by scamming us.

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Toni King is an author and columnist on Medicare and health insurance issues. She has spent nearly 30 years as a top sales leader in the field. For a Medicare checkup, call the Toni Says call center at (832) 519-8664 or email info@tonisays.com regarding your Medicare plans and options. Toni Says Medicare Survival Guide Advanced edition is available at www.tonisays.com. Toni’s Medicare Moments articles have just been released: https://familytalktoday.com/medicare-moments.

Copyright 2024 Toni King, Distributed by Counterpoint Media