Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Signing Up For Part A & B | Request For Employment Information

You can sign up for Medicare A & B through Social Security in four ways.

 - Telephone  1 (800) 772-1213 and provide supporting documents by mail or fax.

 - In Person Appointment

     Social Security Office

     140 Union St, Lynn, MA 01901

     Phone: (866) 366-7792

 - Online (create a my social security account)  https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/medicare/ and provide supporting documents by upload, mail or fax. Use this online checklist to be sure and have all the information needed to create an online My Social Security Account and complete the online medicare. 

 Paper Application with supporting documents by fax or mail. (Part B only)

Once you have your Medicare card, or Medicare part B effective date, our SHINE counselors will be happy to assist with enrolling into secondary plans one month prior to the Medicare effective date. 





























































































Friday, September 23, 2022

Federal Trade Commission - Consumer Information - Phone Scams

Every year, thousands of people lose money to telephone scams — from a few dollars to their life savings. Scammers will say anything to cheat people out of money. Some seem very friendly — calling you by your first name, making small talk, and asking about your family. They may claim to work for a company you trust, or they may send mail or place ads to convince you to call them.
If you get a call from someone you don’t know who is trying to sell you something you hadn’t planned to buy, say "No thanks." And, if they pressure you about giving up personal information — like your credit card or Social Security number — it’s likely a scam. Hang up and report it to the Federal Trade Commission.

By Mail:      Federal Communications Commission
                  Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau
                  Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division
                  45 L Street NE
                  Washington, DC 20554

>>Click HERE to link to Federal Trade Commission Consumer Information for Additional Info>>

>>Click HERE to Download or Read Printable Version (pdf)>>




Phishing Scams

>>Click HERE for LARGER image or Printable Version>> 



Friday, August 5, 2022

Is a Credit Freeze or Fraud Alert Right for You?

 >> Click HERE to link to Federal Trade Commission for Additional Info >>

During Identity Theft Awareness Week 2022, we’ve talked about reducing your risk of identity theft. Credit freezes and fraud alerts can help. Both are free and make it harder for identity thieves to open new accounts in your name. One may be right for you.

Credit freezes

credit freeze is the best way you can protect against an identity thief opening new accounts in your name. When in place, it prevents potential creditors from accessing your credit report. Because creditors usually won’t give you credit if they can’t check your credit report, placing a freeze helps you block identity thieves who might be trying to open accounts in your name.

A freeze also can be helpful if you’ve experienced identity theft or had your information exposed in a data breach. And don’t let the “freeze” part worry you. A credit freeze won’t affect your credit score or your ability to use your existing credit cards, apply for a job, rent an apartment, or buy insurance. If you need to apply for new credit, you can lift the freeze temporarily to let the creditor check your credit. Placing and lifting the freeze is free, but you must contact the national credit bureaus to lift it and put it back in place.

Place a credit freeze by contacting each of the three national credit bureaus, EquifaxExperian, and TransUnion. A freeze lasts until you remove it.

Fraud alerts

fraud alert doesn’t limit access to your credit report, but tells businesses to check with you before opening a new account in your name. Usually, that means calling you first to make sure the person trying to open a new account is really you.

Place a fraud alert by contacting any one of the three national credit bureaus. That one must notify the other two. A fraud alert lasts one year and you can renew it for free. If you’ve experienced identity theft, you can get an extended fraud alert that lasts for seven years.

Learn more about credit freezes, fraud alerts, and active duty alerts for service members. And, if identity theft happens to you, visit IdentityTheft.gov to report it and get a personal recovery plan.