IG Warns Public About Fraudulent Phone Calls Threatening Arrest or Legal Action
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: December 7, 2018
The Acting Inspector General of Social Security, Gale Stallworth Stone, is urging citizens to remain vigilant of telephone impersonation schemes that exploit the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) reputation and authority.
The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) continues to receive reports from across the country about fraudulent phone calls from people claiming to be from SSA. Recent reports have indicated that unknown callers are using increasingly threatening language in these calls. The callers state, due to improper or illegal activity with a citizen’s Social Security number (SSN) or account, a citizen will be arrested or face other legal action if they fail to call a provided phone number to address the issue. This is a scam; citizens should not engage with these calls or provide any personal information.
SSA employees do contact citizens, generally those who have ongoing business with SSA, by telephone for customer-service purposes. However, SSA employees will never threaten you for information; they will not state that you face potential arrest or other legal action if you fail to provide information. In those cases, the call is fraudulent, and you should just hang up.
“Unfortunately, scammers will try anything to mislead and harm innocent people, including scaring them into thinking that something is wrong with their Social Security account and they might be arrested,” Stone said. “I encourage everyone to remain watchful of these schemes and to alert family members and friends of their prevalence. We will continue to track these scams and warn citizens, so that they can stay several steps ahead of these thieves.”
The OIG recently warned that some of these impersonation calls have “spoofed” SSA’s national customer service phone number, displaying 1-800-772-1213 as the incoming number on caller ID.
The Acting Inspector General urges citizens to be extremely cautious, and to avoid providing information such as your SSN or bank account numbers to unknown persons over the phone or internet unless you are certain of who is receiving it. If you receive a suspicious call from someone alleging to be from SSA, you should report that information to the OIG at 1-800-269-0271 or online at https://oig.ssa.gov/report.
For more information, please visit https://oig.ssa.gov/newsroom/scam-awareness. For media inquiries, please contact Andrew Cannarsa, OIG’s Communications Director, at (410) 965-2671.
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Andrew Cannarsa, OIG Communications Director
Andrew Cannarsa, OIG Communications Director
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ADELIA J.
I have been receiving calls claiming to be from SSA stating that there has been illegal action on my SS# and that I need to call back the number given. (657-222-0695). To date I have not responded, however it is getting very annoying. If I am receiving a number of calls there must be many more out there who are too. Many do not know that they should not answer this type of calls.
Mike M.
I received an automated call from
866-404-5589 claiming my SSA number has been suspended because of suspicious activity. I think it is a scam so have not responded. They actually left a voicemail message, again automated. I’ve blocked the number.
Jean D.
I received a phone cal from Social Security to call back about criminal activity on my number. Would you please give me a phone number to call to find out if this is correct or a scam.
Jean Dohnal
A.C.
Hi, Jean. We do not usually make random calls. If anyone receives calls saying that they are from Social Security, do not give out any personal information. Suspicious calls should be reported to the Office of the Inspector General at 1-800-269-0271 or online. You can find additional information here. We hope this helps.
Mari
Received calls on my cell phone from 234-358-9751 and 234-353-8715 both robocalls saying my SS number has been compromised. Called back one of the numbers and I got a Verizon message that number I had dialed was unavailable.
A.C.
Hi, Mari. Thanks for letting us know. We do not usually make random calls. If anyone receives calls saying that they are from Social Security, do not give out any personal information. Suspicious calls should be reported to the Office of the Inspector General at 1-800-269-0271 or online. You can find additional information here. We hope this helps.
Nancy
This is 2nd time have gotten calls from ‘Linda’ an automated call. I am sure it will be same threats, my social security number is being used for criminal acts.
All fraud. Contacted life alerts to see just is case something they missed. They assured me I had not been compromised.
kathi m.
Received call on my cell phone from 956-948-4249, robo call . Saying my ss number has been compromised and is being investigated for fraudulent activity or may be involved in ,. Started saying number. Just hung up.
A.C.
Thanks for checking in with us, Kathi. We do not usually make random calls. If anyone receives calls saying that they are from Social Security, do not give out any personal information. Suspicious calls should be reported to the Office of the Inspector General at 1-800-269-0271 or online. You can find additional information here. We hope this helps.
Cherrie R.
Dear Sir, I got two phone calls stating that my social security card is being used for criminal purpose and it will be suspended if I don’t call 315 200 4999 immediately to address it .And they want the last four digit of my SS number so I hung up . Please advise me .Thanks.
A.C.
Hi, Cherrie. Thanks for checking in with us. We do not usually make random calls. If anyone receives calls saying that they are from Social Security, do not give out any personal information. Suspicious calls should be reported to the Office of the Inspector General at 1-800-269-0271 or online. You can find additional information here. We hope this helps.
Manuel M.
Just received a phone of legal action against my social security number for fraudulent activity. I called the number back and sounded like a call center, I ask for an employee ID number cause and she told me to(her words) ‘Fuck Off’ and then hung up on me. The number is 430-231-4001 and from Cumby, TX. I am from San Antonio, TX. I called back and informed them I would be contacting local authorities and reporting them.
A.C.
Hi, Manuel. Thanks for letting us know. We do not usually make random calls. If anyone receives calls saying that they are from Social Security, do not give out any personal information. Suspicious calls should be reported to the Office of the Inspector General at 1-800-269-0271 or online. You can find additional information here. We hope this helps.
Beverly A.
i JUST recieved via phone call, a message stating that an arrest action was taking place for fraudulent activity with my SS #. I did not listen, but just hung up.
Vernon S.
I also received one of these phone calls. I did talk with them for a short time so I could listen to not just listen to what he said but also listen to how he said it. I told him I’m not comfortable giving out my ssn and I wont give it to him. He didn’t like it. I checked the phone number and looked up the location information of the number. The number was 1-800-858-9194 which was in Liupanshui City, China in the Guizhou Province not far North of Vietnam. This was 2/2/2019 at 2:20pm. I then called the BBB and gave them the information.