You probably wouldn’t hand a stranger your Social Security card, bank account number, or house keys. But what about your Medicare number, the verification code sent to your phone, or the answers to questions used to access your financial accounts? Those details can be just as valuable to criminals. Scammers increasingly use phone calls, text messages, fraudulent websites, and impersonation tactics to convince older Americans to share information that can unlock accounts or facilitate identity theft.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, adults age 60 and older reported $2.4 billion in fraud losses in 2024, with particularly serious losses associated with impersonation scams. While anyone can become a victim, protecting your information becomes especially important when your retirement savings, healthcare coverage, and monthly income depend on accounts you’ve spent decades building. Here are five pieces of personal information to protect after 60, along with practical steps to keep them out of the wrong hands.
1. Your Social Security Number
Your Social Security number remains one of the most valuable pieces of identifying information criminals can obtain. Scammers may use stolen Social Security numbers alongside other personal details to attempt identity theft, open fraudulent accounts, or file false tax returns. The Social Security Administration warns that criminals frequently impersonate government employees and threaten benefit suspension, arrest, or other consequences to pressure people into sharing information.
Legitimate Social Security employees won’t threaten arrest or demand immediate payment to resolve a supposed problem with your benefits. If someone unexpectedly requests your Social Security number, end the conversation and contact the organization directly using a verified telephone number or official website.
2. Your Medicare Number
Your Medicare number deserves nearly the same level of protection as your Social Security number because it can be used to commit healthcare fraud. Criminals sometimes contact older adults offering free medical equipment, genetic testing, or special Medicare benefits in exchange for their identifying information.
According to Medicare.gov, beneficiaries should protect their Medicare numbers and review statements for services or supplies they never received. A stolen Medicare number can potentially be used to submit fraudulent claims, creating problems that may require time and effort to resolve. Never provide your Medicare number to an unsolicited caller, and share it only with trusted healthcare providers, insurers, or authorized representatives when legitimately necessary.
3. Your Banking and Retirement Account Details
Bank account numbers, online banking credentials, and retirement account information can provide criminals with opportunities to steal money or initiate unauthorized transactions. Scammers may pretend to represent your bank’s fraud department and claim they need account details to stop suspicious activity.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau warns consumers about financial scams involving impersonation, unauthorized transfers, and requests for sensitive information. If you receive an unexpected message about suspicious account activity, don’t click the included link or call the number provided in the message. Instead, contact your bank using the number printed on your debit card or a trusted statement, and consider enabling transaction alerts to identify unusual activity quickly.
4. Your Passwords and One-Time Verification Codes
A criminal doesn’t always need your Social Security number or bank account number to access your money. Sometimes, obtaining a password and the temporary verification code sent to your phone is enough to compromise an online account. The FTC recommends using multifactor authentication because it adds another layer of protection beyond a password alone.
However, scammers may impersonate bank employees, technology support representatives, or government agencies and ask victims to read aloud verification codes that were never intended to be shared. Treat unexpected verification codes as private security information, and never give them to someone who contacts you by phone, text, or email.
5. Your Date of Birth, Address, and Security Question Answers
Your birthday, home address, and family details may seem less sensitive than your financial account numbers, but criminals can combine them to impersonate you. Information about your first pet, childhood neighborhood, or mother’s maiden name may also appear in account recovery questions used by financial institutions and other services. The FTC’s identity theft guidance explains how criminals can use personal information to commit identity theft and recommends taking steps to limit unnecessary exposure.
Review what you share publicly on social media, particularly birthday announcements, family history posts, and information that could reveal answers to security questions. When possible, use randomly generated answers stored securely in a password manager rather than relying on personal facts that someone could discover online.
Why Criminals Often Combine Several Small Details
One of the biggest misconceptions about identity theft is that criminals must obtain a single highly sensitive document to cause financial harm. In reality, scammers can piece together information from data breaches, public records, social media profiles, and conversations with unsuspecting victims. A name and phone number alone generally aren’t enough to access a protected bank account, but those details can help criminals craft convincing messages designed to obtain additional information. For example, a scammer who already knows your address might pretend to represent your insurance company and ask you to verify your Medicare number.
What to Do if You’ve Already Shared Sensitive Information
If you’ve accidentally provided sensitive information to someone suspicious, taking action quickly can reduce the potential damage. Visit IdentityTheft.gov for recovery guidance tailored to the information exposed, including steps involving financial accounts and credit reports. If your banking credentials were compromised, contact your financial institution immediately, change affected passwords, and ask whether additional account protections are necessary.
You can also place free security freezes with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion to make it more difficult for identity thieves to open new credit accounts in your name.
For Medicare-related concerns, contact 1-800-MEDICARE, and report suspected scams to the FTC through ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Protecting Your Information Protects Your Financial Independence
Knowing which personal information to protect after 60 can help you avoid costly mistakes without becoming afraid of every phone call or online transaction. Your Social Security number, Medicare number, financial account details, verification codes, and personal identification information all deserve careful handling. The goal isn’t to stop using technology or avoid legitimate organizations, but to verify unexpected requests before sharing sensitive details. A few simple habits, including using strong passwords, enabling account alerts, and contacting organizations through official channels, can make it much harder for criminals to exploit your information.
Have you ever received a suspicious call or message from someone who already knew your personal details? Share your experience in the comments to help other readers recognize the warning signs.
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