As scammers get more sophisticated, Americans must be more vigilant to avoid Social Security scams. According to California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Social Security scams are the most common type of government imposter scam.
Scammers may try to trick you into telling them your Social Security number and other personal information by making you believe the following:
- your number is about to be suspended.
- you need a new number.
- your benefits are about to be reduced/increased.
- you have been receiving an underpayment/overpayment of benefits.
- someone has used your number to commit a crime.
- you can invest in a scheme to increase your benefits.
What steps can you take to avoid Social Security fraud calls and other Social Security scams?
Remember: If you owe money or there is another problem with your Social Security benefits, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will send you a letter through the United States Postal Service with payment options and appeal rights.
Even if calls, texts, and email messages look and sound legitimate, they can be a trick. Scammers can easily fake logos, letterhead, badges, names, email addresses, website addresses, phone numbers, and caller IDs.
Don’t be in a hurry to respond to anything. If you are in doubt about any communication, hang up the call, do not click on any link, and do not reply. Take your time to analyze the communication, and ask a trusted friend or family member to offer their analysis. If you believe that the communication is a fraud, you can block the number on your phone or report the email as junk.
If you are still in doubt, give the SSA a call at 1-800-772-1213, or visit their website for other ways to get in touch: www.ssa.gov.
Keep in mind that the SSA will never do the following:
- never contact you by telephone, text, or email asking for sensitive information.
- never mail or email you anything containing personal information.
- never send you a text unless you have opted to receive texts for updates, notifications, and enhanced security.
- never send you a direct message on social media.
- never suspend your Social Security number.
- never threaten to arrest you or take legal action if you don’t give them money or information immediately.
- never threaten to suspend your bank account.
- never ask for personal information or payment for a benefits increase or cost of living adjustment.
- never demand that you keep their communication a secret.
- never require you to pay with cash, prepaid debit cards, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or a money wire.
- never send photos of federal credentials or badges.
- never ask you to move your money so they can keep it safe.
- never send an agent to your home or anywhere else to receive money.
Does the Social Security office make phone calls?
According to the SSA: “Social Security employees do contact the public by telephone for business purposes. Ordinarily, the agency calls people who have recently applied for a Social Security benefit, are already receiving payments and require an update to their record, or have requested a phone call from the agency. If there is a problem with a person’s Social Security number or record, Social Security will typically mail a letter.”
Do you know how to report Social Security scam calls, texts, and email messages?
Make a report to the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Make a report of all scam calls, texts, and email messages to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
What should you do if you have been a victim of a Social Security scam?
- Cut off all contact with the scammer.
- Contact all three major credit bureaus—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—to add a fraud alert to your credit report.
- Make a report to the SSA and FTC (see above).
- Check out this list of specific actions to take depending on the scam:
To learn more, visit the SSA scam information page. Also, visit the Coast Central Credit Union News & Articles page to find more articles about scams.
The more you know, the better you can protect yourself.
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