Frauds & Scams

Don’t “Fall Back” Into Scams This Season

October 31, 2024 • By

Reading Time: 2 Minutes

Last Updated: October 31, 2024

A photo of a man using a laptop with a Scam email graphic being displayed on the monitorThe days are getting shorter, the temperatures are pleasant, and the fall foliage is beautiful. This is also the time of year when scammers are ramping up their tricks and tactics. As we prepare to set our clocks back an hour this weekend, don’t “fall back” into bad habits and let your guard down.

Scammers are constantly tweaking old scams and designing new ones to trick you into giving them money or personal information. They target people of all ages through text, email, phone calls, and social media.

Falling for a scam could set you back more than just an hour. Our most recent data shows people ages 70 to 84 report the greatest losses – an average of nearly $12,000.

By recognizing the basic signs of a scam, you can protect yourself and avoid becoming a victim.

Many scammers work the same way. They:

  1. Pretend to be from an agency or organization you know to gain your trust.
  2. Claim there is a problem or prize.
  3. Pressure you to act immediately.
  4. Tell you to pay in a specific way.

Watch out for red flags

Keep an eye out for these red flags, and remember that our employees will never:

  • Threaten you with arrest or legal action because you don’t agree to pay money immediately.
  • Suspend your Social Security number or monthly payment.
  • Claim to need personal information or payment to activate a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) or another benefit.
  • Pressure you to take immediate action, including sharing personal information.
  • Ask you to pay with gift cards, prepaid debit cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or cash.
  • Threaten to seize your bank account.
  • Offer to move your money to a “protected” bank account.
  • Demand secrecy.
  • Direct message you on social media.

Please stay alert and share this important information with friends and family. By remaining vigilant, recognizing common signs, and watching for red flags, you and your loved ones can avoid “falling” for scams. Visit ssa.gov/scams and watch our videos for more information about preventing and reporting fraud.

 

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  1. Arthur M.

    MetaMask is the biggest scam you can have , all my NFT and coins where stolen in a twinkle of an eye and their very rude customer care will ignore you and tell you there’s nothing they can do, ExpressHacker99 was competent enough to help me recover my lost asset. You can reach them via expresshacker99[at]gmail[dot]com.

    Reply
  2. Evelyn H.

    Is the FAST FORM FILLER website a SCAM or a real website where you can request Form SS-5? I found out that they do charge a fee of $39.00 so I didn’t submit my information.

    Reply
  3. Joan E.

    Just received an email from information center with a SSA Administration seal on it asking me to download an important document to review. I have not opened it. I think it may be a scam.

    Reply
    • Elaine L.

      Same thing happened to me, an email supposedly from SSA saying a document is ready for my review. It was from noreply@alchemer.com. I know better than to download anything from a strange email, as that’s how viruses get into your computer.

      Reply
  4. Patricia

    I was between banks for the 1st time in years and had to temporarily stop direct deposit and thus receive a paper check for November 2023.

    Well, my check never reached me. It was stolen and CASHED ON MY 60TH BIRTHDAY.

    A MILESTONE BIRTHDAY!

    I had to borrow $375, $100 and $1000 from friends for food, bills and transportation.

    And miss celebrating with 2 other Friends born on the same day!

    I couldn’t do laundry and 4 friends got together and bought me a blouse, pants, and a hat to wear that day! And they bought me a cake!

    To add insult to injury, I went to SS office twice this year to appeal the decision to have me pay back.

    My check was clearly stolen as evidence of 2, not 1 but 2 signatures on the check.

    My signature cannot be forged!

    It was also cashed at a Chase Bank, which I hadn’t banked at in over 15 years!

    Even I went to SS for the last time, they assured me I wouldn’t have to pay back the 2nd check they sent me on November 20 3023.

    More insult to injury??? I got RSV on the 17th and had to go to the ER. My co-pay was $95 and I didn’t have it. Thank GOD hospitals are compassionate.

    I am writing because SS sent me a letter detailing the reduction in my benefits for a Year because they are making me pay it back; again, after I was assured, in person that I would not have to.

    I now have to go to SS for the 3rd time.

    I also have a copy of the paperwork which includes the forged signatures. I am going to the bank.

    I am appealing, again or demanding Chase reimburse me or I will take Chase to small claims court.

    I am 61, permanently disabled, a fulltime online student trying for the 10th time to finish and graduate, next year, my first college degree and then, through Ticket To Work, hopefully find re-rmployment so I can get off SS until a better retirement age so I can live out my senior years in better financial shape. Plus, I don’t want to live out the next 25-30 years doing nothing, living on SS alone. I’m not ready and it cannot survive only on SS.

    I’ve been disabled all my life, first got it and was approved in 2001; it declined and went back to work after 4 months on medical leave another 7 months on unemployment after suffering injuries which caused two MILD TBIs.

    I then could no longer work as of 2011.

    I may be permanently disabled from birth but I am not dead. Because of all I have endured since conception, I thought for sure I wouldn’t live pass 60.

    I’ll be 61 this Friday! And that’s also why I want to get off SS and go back to work!

    I still want to fulfill a childhood dream, which now includes creating a foundation for Children and Families so no child has to grow up like Me.

    I want to become the person who should have been there for me, and my Family, when I was born anyway, because I wasn’t supposed to born!

    I am blessed and grateful I was. Never thought I’d be able to say that, finally, today :0)

    Reply
    • Kim S.

      You are one strong,determined lady and YES! You were supposed to be born and God has a purpose for you. You keep fighting that ruling because it is wrong and God is on the side of the right. None of us knows His plans but I’m sure He’s going to show you.

      Reply
  5. Jean

    I responded to an ad for Omaha Steaksthat they were emptying their freezers to make room for fresh stock. Since I order from Omaha already, I bit for it. Confirmation was from a hot mail address. I knew right away I was scammed. It took a few weeks of investigation to get my money back. I even got an ATM charge from London which really convinced my bank it was a fraud. They were able to get the money out of an atm in London. I have to remember “if it’s too good of a deal, it is a fraud”!

    Reply
  6. Dr. S.

    This was old information

    Reply
  7. Janet

    Someone opened a Bitcoin account and put the money in a “view only” wallet for me. It’s a large amount of money and this person is a very wealthy well known person. He even sent me a video to prove I was him. The only problem is I do have to pay him back $5000.00 and initially he wanted it in Apple Card’s but I can’t get them. Now he said I could send the money through Cashapp to one of his coworkers in increments on a daily basis until the $5000.00 is paid. He wants me to do this before I have access to the Bitcoin wallet which will be in a few weeks. I’m concerned that the video could be an ai, but it’s so clear and looks so much like this man that I’m confused!

    I don’t know what to do!

    Reply
    • Kimberly S.

      Don’t do anything else with these guys! This is not real,Sweetie. Take it to the police or call them to come to you,but don’t do anything else with these scammers. They can be dangerous! You didn’t know. The celebrity they are using is probably AI, but it’s not the real guy. I wish you the very best.

      Reply
  8. Ethel M.

    They have one where they ask if you can hear them never yes because it connects to a 3rd party steal information from your cell

    Reply
  9. Christine W.

    It is next to impossible to get things done with social security. They don’t accept p.o.a. to do any business for my husband.

    Reply
    • BoinSjr

      When the “Medicare scammer” started asking my height, I immediately discontinued my interaction! He hung up the phone right away! I realized it was a scam!

      Reply

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