3 Ways to Fight Scammers Who Target Your Social Security Benefits
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: July 19, 2021
Scammers are always finding new ways to steal your money and personal information by exploiting your fears. The most effective way to defeat scammers is to know how to identify scams and to ignore suspicious calls and emails.
One common tactic scammers use is posing as federal agents and other law enforcement. They may claim your Social Security number is linked to a crime. They may even threaten to arrest you if you do not comply with their instructions. Here are three things you can do:
- Hang up right away or do not reply to the email.
- Never give personal information, money, or retail gift cards.
- Report the scam immediately to our law enforcement team at the Office of the Inspector General.
You should continue to remain vigilant of phone calls when someone says there’s a problem with your Social Security number or your benefits. If you owe us money, we will mail you a letter explaining your rights, payment options, and information about appealing.
Related: Inspector General Announces 2nd National “Slam the Scam” Day
There are a few ways you can identify a scam call or email. Remember that we will never:
- Threaten you with benefit suspension, arrest, or other legal action unless you pay a fine or fee.
- Promise a benefit increase or other assistance in exchange for payment.
- Require payment by retail gift card, cash, wire transfer, internet currency, or prepaid debit card.
- Demand secrecy from you in handling a Social Security-related problem.
- Send official letters or reports containing personally identifiable information via email.
If you do not have ongoing business with us, it is unlikely we will contact you. Again, if you get a suspicious call claiming to be from Social Security, you should hang up and report it right away to our Office of the Inspector General. Please share this important information with your friends and family—and join us for “Slam the Scam” Day on Thursday, March 4.
Here’s a list of our “Slam the Scam” Day events:
- 1:00 pm – Spanish language Twitter chat. Use hashtags #OjoConLasEstafas and #NCPW2021 to follow and participate.
- 3:00 pm – English language Twitter chat. Use hashtags #SlamTheScamChat and #NCPW2021.
- 7:00 pm – Facebook Live on government imposter phone scams featuring Tracy Lynge, the Communications Director at our Office of the Inspector General, and Drew Johnson, the Chief of Staff at the Federal Trade Commission’s Division of Consumer and Business Education. Be sure to ask your scam-related questions in the blog comments below—and we will answer them.
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About the Author
Darlynda Bogle, Assistant Deputy Commissioner
Darlynda Bogle, Assistant Deputy Commissioner
Comments
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Melvin E.
Hacked into my Google pay and I don’t have a Google pay account because my chime card restricts it and they got $150 out of me and then cash it into like two or three days ago but it happened February 27th so I don’t know why my bank didn’t do the right thing
Vonda
For your security, Melvin, we do not have access to private information in this venue. We ask that members in our Blog community work with our offices with specific questions. You can call us at 1-800-772-1213 for assistance or you can call your local Social Security office. Please look for the general inquiry telephone number at the Social Security Office Locator. The number may appear under Show Additional Office Information. Please be aware that our call wait times are longer than normal. We hope this information helps.
TechRansom
I have been reading your posts for quite some time. And everytime, it adds to my knowledge. But could you please elaborate on the last section in your upcoming post? Keep writing.
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Virgie S.
svirgie546@gmail.com
David S.
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TechRansom
I really think that I found something worth reading. I am putting it on my RSS feed to ensure that I don’t miss out on your posts.[pii_email_ddb7b0ca0f8cb4d23f14]
David S.
I know right! These scammers have made me so cautious that I am literally scared to get help online. I wanted to hire someone to do my dissertation in UK online but I was scared to invest my money. Luckily, the site I found was so reliable that it kinda stored back my faith in humanity!!
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L A.
Yesterday I received a scam computer generated call saying I was being prosecuted for soc security fraud if I didn’t press 1 to dispute it. I receive many such computer calls. They’re annoying, & anyone in my house could have answered my landline phone. How do I report this? What # do I call?
David S.
I know right! These scammers have made me so cautious that I am literally scared to get help online. I wanted to hire someone to do my dissertation in UK online but I was scared to invest my money. Luckily, the site I found was so reliable that it kinda stored back my faith in humanity!!
Linda H.
I just got one of these calls.They called me 3 times. I only heard part of what they were talking about. After that I don’t answer my phone
Vonda
Thanks for letting us know, Linda. Generally, we will only contact you if you have requested a call or have ongoing business with us. Recently, scams—misleading victims into making cash or gift card payments to avoid arrest for Social Security number problems—have skyrocketed. Our employees will never threaten you for information or promise a benefit in exchange for personal information or money.
If you receive a suspicious call like this: 1) Hang up. 2) Do not provide personal information, money, or retail gift cards. 3) Report suspicious calls here. For more information on how to protect yourself, check out our Frequently Asked Questions. We hope this helps.
Anthony J.
General Delivery – email first. I need an injunction against my Social Security mailing address pursuant to 21USC332. My address has been maliciously entered into the auto-complete of my name in this blog. I have repeatedly asked that my sister’s mailing address be removed. In January I received two sets of two payment notices. They accompanied the delivery of two adulterously delayed online pharmaceutical shipments to add to the holiday trash of amanita trail mix, two bag meth – pseudo-ephedrine and anti-anxiety drug I was exposed to for the family holiday. Before the statin and cardiotoxin from mom’s divorce court cost >$500 in destroyed outdoor clothing to violently not pay for the damages and college fund in conspiracy with the judge and magistrate who failed to appear for the high court scheduled settlement hearing and trial …www.title24uscode.org/ sanders.pdf
The local social security office, like most, is highly toxic, with monoclonal antibody to the spine treated with Epsom salt bath. SSA has absolutely no business contacting me by mail. I am applying for Public Trustee and take care of the federal budget and international economy online. SSA cannot afford to treat me like a habeas corpus. I am worth too much to war criminals for SSA to facilitate the torture of Tony tobacco addict by my gentrified health professional family, I am never going to see again, because you don’t heart attack Hospitals & Asyums. Paper mail is not the way to keep in touch with me because a person, especially a high value publisher, cannot be used to render a place immune from military intervention pursuant to Art. 28 of the 4th Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilians in Times of War (1949). Don’t forget to repeal the “address” from the (home-side) Manner of Issuing Prescription under 21CFR§1306.05 pursuant to Hydrocortisone, Eucalyptus, Lavender or Peppermint (HELP) Act of 2021 v. Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19, Moderna COVID-19 and J&J Single Shot Vaccines HA-6-3-21 http://www.title24uscode.org/coronavaccine.pdf
Robin C.
You are a shoe-in for a political career as speaker of the house!
Virgie S.
I’m can’t walk