Local seniors have a unique opportunity this Friday to safeguard their personal identities while simultaneously helping to feed families in need. In recognition of Medicare Fraud Prevention Week, the Upper Cumberland Development District (UCDD), Tennessee Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP), and Sentry Shred are partnering to host the ‘Can the Scam’ Shred-a-Thon and Food Drive. The event will take place on Friday, June 5, 2026, from 9 a.m. until noon at the UCDD office located at 1104 England Dr. in Cookeville.
The event is entirely free and tailored exclusively for individual Medicare beneficiaries; business accounts cannot be accommodated.
Organizers have designed the event to be as convenient as possible for attendees. Participants are instructed to remain in the driver’s seat of their vehicles upon arrival. A designated volunteer pit crew will handle all the heavy lifting directly from the cars, allowing the line to move quickly and efficiently.
To participate, attendees are asked to bring a canned food donation for the AAAD food bank. In exchange, they can drop off their confidential documents for secure destruction and pick up an educational fraud prevention packet.
To ensure the line moves quickly for everyone, organizers have set a strict limit of two (2) boxes of documents per person. The on-site shredding crew is equipped to destroy any sensitive paperwork that could put an individual at risk for identity theft. Residents are encouraged to bring documents containing:
- Social Security or Medicare numbers
- Bank account information
- Birth dates, passwords, or PINs
- Private signatures and personal contact information
Beyond identity protection and community charity, the event serves an educational purpose. The provided fraud prevention packets will equip local seniors with vital strategies to protect themselves in an increasingly digital world. From their vehicles, participants will gain insights into:
- Red Flags: Learning how to spot the subtle, deceptive signs of a scam.
- Fraud Defense: Proactive, everyday steps to firmly lock down personal data.
- ID Theft 101: Understanding exactly what scammers are looking for and how they obtain it.
- Medicare Shield: Crucial knowledge to stop scammers from fraudulently exploiting or stealing health benefits.
This community initiative is supported by grant number 90MPPG0006 from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, and is administered locally by the Upper Cumberland Area Agency on Aging and Disability (UCAAAD).
