How to Avoid Social Security Scams - Inspector General Releases Warning
Submitted by Desmond Wealth Management, Inc. on June 30th, 2019The Inspector General of Social Security, Gail S. Ennis, recently released a warning to citizens about a caller-ID "spoofing" scheme misusing the Social Security Administration (SSA) Office of the Inspector General's (OIG) Fraud Hotline phone number. The OIG has received recent reports of phone calls displaying the Fraud Hotline number on a caller-ID screen. This is a scam! OIG employees do not place outgoing calls from the Fraud Hotline 800 number. Do not engage with these calls, and definitely don't provide personal information.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) estimates that scammers call thousands of Americans every day, to try and steal personal information, benefits or both. This is a common form of government imposter scam, in which callers pose as government officials to get you to send money or give up personal and financial data for use in identity theft.
Callers may use a variety of false scenarios or threats to request personal information or payments, often by means of gift cards or prepaid debit cards. The caller may claim to be from a "legal department," and they may state that one's Social Security number (SSN) has been involved in fraudulent activity. They may also accuse citizens of committing crimes, and may threaten arrest by Federal marshals.
SSA and OIG employees do contact citizens by telephone for official purposes, and they may request the citizen confirm personal information over the phone. However, the calls do not appear on caller ID as the Fraud Hotline number of (800) 269 – 0271. Also, SSA and OIG employees will never threaten you for information or promise any type of official action in exchange for personal information or payment. In those cases, the call is fraudulent, and you should just hang up.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported a surge in late 2018 in scams involving fake SSA employees calling people with warnings that their Social Security numbers had been linked to criminal activity and suspended. The caller asks you to confirm your number so he or she can reactivate it or issue you a new one, for a fee. This is always a ploy to get money and personal data – Social Security does not block nor suspend social security numbers, ever. The con is sometimes executed via robocall – the recording provides a number for you to call to remedy the problem. In another version, the caller says your bank account is at risk due to illicit activity and offers to help you keep it safe.
Another scam to be on the look-out for is executed via a call from a supposed SSA representative bearing good news – a cost-of-living increase in your benefits, for example. They may ask you to verify your name, date of birth and Social Security number in order to get the extra money. Scammers can effectively hijack your account with those identifiers, and ask SSA to change the address, phone number and direct deposit information on your record, and thus divert your benefits!
Consumer Reports warns of another trick with an ironic twist: scammers send out emails that appear to be from SSA and instruct you to click a link to register for a free service that protects you from Social Security fraud. This is a garden-variety phishing scam, designed to guide you to a fake government website that will steal your information.
Inspector General Ennis encourages everyone to alert their family and friends about how common these scams are, and to be extremely cautious when speaking with unknown callers, even if you recognize the caller ID. She urges citizens not to provide any sensitive information, such as SSN or bank account number, over the phone or internet unless you are certain of who is receiving it. You should also never wire money or add money to a prepaid debit card to pay for official government service.
With a little vigilance, Social Security scams are not difficult to identify and avoid. Some warning signs are:
- You get an unsolicited call from someone claiming to work for SSA. Except in rare circumstances, you will not get a call from Social Security unless you have already been in contact with the agency.
- The caller asks for your Social Security number – again, something an actual SSA employee wouldn't do.
- A call or email threatens consequences, such as arrest, loss of benefits or suspension of your Social Security number, if you do not provide a payment or personal information.
Here are some tips on what to do if you are targeted by scammers:
- Do hang up if someone calls you out of the blue and claims to be from SSA.
- Do be skeptical if a caller claims to be an "officer with the Inspector General of Social Security." Scammers appropriate official-sounding and often actual government titles to make a ruse seem authentic.
- Do set up a My Social Security account online at https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/create.html and check it on a monthly basis for signs of anything unusual, even if you have not yet started collecting benefits.
- Do install a robocall-blocking app on your smartphone, or sign up for a robocall-blocking service from your mobile network provider.
Here's some advice on what not to do:
- Don't call a phone number left on your voice mail by a robocaller. If you want to contact SSA, call the customer service line at (800) 772 – 1213.
- Don't assume a call is legitimate because it appears to come from (800) 772 – 1213. Scammers use "spoofing' technology to trick caller ID.
- Don't give your Social Security number or other personal information to someone who contacts you by email. SSA never requests information that way.
- Don't click links in purported SSA emails without checking them. Mouse over the link to reveal the actual destination address. The main part of the address should end with ".gov/" – including the forward slash. If there's anything between .gov and the slash, it's fake.
To confirm whether a communication purporting to be from SSA is real, you can call Social Security's customer service line at (800) 772 – 1213. If you receive a suspicious call from someone alleging to be from SSA or OIG, you can report that information to the OIG online at https://oig.ssa.gov/report or by calling (800) 269 – 0271, Monday through Friday, from 10AM to 4PM Eastern Time. The Federal Trade Commission also now has a new site specific to Social Security scams where they can be reported: https://identitytheft.gov/ssa . If your Social Security number has been stolen, make sure to file an identity theft report with the Federal Trade Commission there. They can help you develop a recovery plan. More information can also be found by visiting https://oig.ssa.gov/newsroom/scam-awareness or by contacting Tracy Lynge, OIG's Communications Director, at (410) 965 – 2671.
As always, if we can answer any questions or concerns you may have, feel free to give our office a call and our team will be happy to assist you.