Scammers know that Medicare and Social Security touch nearly every older American, and they design their pitches to sound official and urgent. Recognizing the pattern is the best defense.

Common tactics this season

• Calls offering a fake benefit "review" to harvest personal details.
• Demands to "reactivate" a suspended Social Security number.
• Offers of a new card in exchange for a fee or your bank information.

Neither agency calls out of the blue to demand payment or personal information. When in doubt, hang up and contact the agency directly using a number you look up yourself.