Beware of Social Security Scams
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: June 30, 2021
Social Security phone scams are the #1 type of fraud reported to the Federal Trade Commission and Social Security. Over the past year, these scams—misleading victims into making cash or gift card payments to avoid arrest for Social Security number problems—have skyrocketed. Social Security encourages you to use the new online form to report Social Security phone scams to disrupt the scammers and help us reduce this type of fraud, and reduce the number of victims.
“We are taking action to raise awareness and prevent scammers from harming Americans,” said Andrew Saul, Commissioner of Social Security. “I am deeply troubled that our country has not been able to stop these crooks from deceiving some of the most vulnerable members of our society.”
Social Security employees will occasionally contact you by telephone or mail for business purposes if you have ongoing business with the agency. However, Social Security employees will not:
- Tell you that your Social Security number has been suspended.
- Contact you to demand an immediate payment.
- Ask you for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
- Require a specific means of debt repayment, like a prepaid debit card, a retail gift card, or cash.
- Demand that you pay a Social Security debt without the ability to appeal the amount you owe.
- Promise a Social Security benefit approval, or increase, in exchange for information or money.
Remember that Social Security employees will never threaten you. If there’s a problem with your Social Security record, Social Security will mail you a letter. If Social Security needs you to submit payments, the agency will provide instructions in the letter, including options to make those payments.
“Awareness is our best hope to thwart the scammers,” said Gail Ennis, Inspector General for Social Security. “Tell your friends and family about them and report them to us when you receive them, but most importantly, just hang up and ignore the calls.”
You can learn more on our press release.
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Tags: fraud
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Mike Korbey, Deputy Commissioner for Communications
Mike Korbey, Deputy Commissioner for Communications
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Sidney E.
Phone contact 1/13/2020 by “Social Security” in Fairfield, CT. Phone 203-659-6586. Stated “violation”, Police warrant, etc. This is about the third call in past thre months. No contact made.
A.C.
Hi, Sidney. Thanks for letting us know. 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.
Courtney
Just got a call from 1-866-331-2317 stating my SSN# has been suspended.
L.A.
Hi Courtney. Thanks for letting us know. 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.
Barbara A.
I get these scam calls all the time. my ss number is going to be deleted and i,m under investigation..
The number they are calling from is
469-929-0925
A.C.
Hi, Barbara. Thanks for letting us know. 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.
mik r.
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Aaron
How can I help my father? He is a victim of many scams. He also believes that he will get rich from the scams. He need help and refuses to let us help him. Please help.
Robert E.
Got a letter from the Harold Washington social security center in Chicago.They want me to place my ss # on the paper provided. Here’s my take. How does the ss office not know my ss #…On top of that. Above the first two words is my first name written in ink. also, underlined “we need the social security number” also in ink and underlined again in ink Please show the full nine-digit number in the block below. I, personally, Will not respond to this mailing. I’m already signed up for Medicare and i receive ss every month of which i am signed up as well.
Judy S.
This font is too small AND too faint for my 68 year old eyes to read. If you can’t make it bigger, at least bold it.
Thank you
John L.
You didn’t mention when the U.S. Congress “borrowed” about 1.5 Trillion dollars from the Social Security Trust Fund. Put me on the Social Security Board and I will lead a group of Social Security Agents to Congress to demand they return what they borrowed.
Carolyn B.
Social security: Fraud department
Robocall received from department of social security 800 773 1213. Unavailable from calling area. SP898.
Reported identitytheft.gov to ftc.gov
(Contact email address: carolyn3000noble@gmail.com)
A.C.
Thanks for letting us know, Carolyn. 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.
Saloni
Thanks for sharing, I did get a call today and it was really scary. They said that this call is monitored by Federal Trade Commission and that my social security number is suspended with immediate effect. I realized a bit later in the call that it appears fraud. Here is the number I got the call from – +8000368663 and +18002177653
A.C.
Thanks for letting us know, Saloni. 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.