How do I protect my parent from Medicare scams?

Medicare scams targeting older adults are common and they work because the scammers sound official and confident. Your parent may not want to seem confused or rude, so they hand over information before they realize what happened.The single most important thing to drill in is this: Medicare does not call people unsolicited. If someone calls claiming to be Medicare, Social Security, or a benefits administrator and asks for their Medicare number, Social Security number, or bank information, that is a scam. Period. Hang up.Beyond that, there are a few practical steps. First, treat the Medicare card like a credit card. Your parent should not carry it everywhere or share the number unless they are at a doctor's office or pharmacy they trust. Second, free stuff is a red flag. Scammers often offer free equipment, screenings, or gift cards in exchange for a Medicare number. Nothing is actually free in that scenario. Third, help your parent set up a short list of people they can call before agreeing to anything on the phone. That might be you, a neighbor, or another trusted family member.If your parent gets a Medicare Summary Notice in the mail, that document lists what Medicare was billed for on their behalf. Reviewing it occasionally helps you spot charges for services they never received, which is a sign of billing fraud rather than a phone scam, but still worth catching.You can report suspected Medicare fraud at 1-800-MEDICARE or through the Office of Inspector General.