Inspector General Warns Public About Caller ID “Spoofing” of Social Security Fraud Hotline Phone Number
Reading Time: 1 MinuteLast Updated: April 2, 2019
The Inspector General of Social Security, Gail S. Ennis, is warning 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. Citizens should not engage with these calls or provide personal information.
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.
If you receive a suspicious call from someone alleging to be from SSA or OIG, you should report that information to the OIG online at https://oig.ssa.gov/report or by calling (800) 269-0271, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern Time. You can also report these scams to the Federal Trade Commission through a new site specific to Social Security scams: https://identitytheft.gov/ssa
See the full advisory at the OIG website.
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Andrew Cannarsa, OIG Communications Director
Andrew Cannarsa, OIG Communications Director
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Gail G.
I can understand the frustration of a mentally disabled person – my daughter regularly gets in trouble with her SS benefits – forms are sent which she cannot understand or understand their importance. She misses deadlines for compliance and benefits are halted. She does not trust the family and has a “friend” handling her affairs – both SS related and money related. When it’s a fact that it is a true mental disability that should alert SS that this person is probably not capable of handling their affairs. The fakers are on their toes – they don’t want benefits to stop.
Poggy
Ya, I get those calls
Robert V.
Thanks for the alerts. These alerts should also be on local news channels for the population that does not have access to computers or the elderly that do not know how to use a computer. They are the most vulnerable.
Virginia S.
I get about fifty to seventy five of those calls everyday they have everything to the T about me. SSA and all. They want me to get knee and back braces plus other things. I called Medicare about this and they said it was true they are allowed to call and I told them to take my name and phone number off their list and Medicare said it would take a month . Well it has been three month and I am still getting the calls. Short of ripping my phone lines out of the wall what else can I do?
Betty G.
Use *77 I did and I had One week of no telemarketers!
Betty Gordon
A.C.
Hi, Virginia. 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 also report these scams to the Federal Trade Commission through a new site specific to Social Security scams, here. You can find additional information here. We hope this helps.
Marlene P.
I sent a letter to the AG’s office informing them of the scam robo calls I have received. They replied saying they appreciate the info I gave them and to report it to the SSA. The address they gave me for the particular SSA office was Wood Lawn MD and no Zip. I cannot find an address for SSA in that city online. I would hate for the letter to be floating out in cyber land somewhere. I listed the numbers and the date/time of the calls. Any idea where this info should be sent other than Wood Lawn MD?
Thanks.
Alicia S.
THANKS FOR THE NOTICE.. I WILL KEEP YOU iN MIND.
Linda
I have received multiple threats doing this. They are leaving messages for callbacks too. Some are e very y mean and aggressive. 71 yo
A.C.
Hi, Linda. We are sorry to hear that. 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 also report these scams to the Federal Trade Commission through a new site specific to Social Security scams, here. You can find additional information here. We hope this helps.
Rhonda S.
I’m receiving automated voice messages saying they are from the SSA Fraud department and that I need to call and straighten this out immediately or lose my Social Security Number rights. How do I know it is not a scam? I’m also getting automated calls from the IRS from the Crime and Fraud department about discrepancies. That has a (315) Area Code. What is a person supposed to do?
Linda C.
I am exhausted from cyberstalkers since 2014 and I am a Federal survivor of law offices stalkers and hackers . I am a semi retired california Paralegal certified under business and professional code 6450-6456. Federal Bar Association training third party relative.
Mohiedin P.
Hi,can I register on line from overseas?if not possible can I do my registration at us consulate or embassy?thanks
A.C.
Hi, Mohiedin. We are sorry for the inconvenience. At this time you must have a U. S. mailing address to create or to access your online account. The “my Social Security” authentication system requires address verification as one of the essential criteria for issuing an account. People with APO/FPO/DPO addresses can create an account overseas, but our system does not support registration and account creation for users with a foreign address yet. Please contact your local Federal Benefits Unit for assistance. Also our Office of Earnings & International Operations web page provides more information to assist our customers living abroad. We hope this helps.
Rebecca G.
I did report my scam
Lori A.
My name is Lori Ann I am on mental disability and in the month of October someone took all of my money off of my social security card when the Social Security Administration sent me a form to fill out I didn’t understand it because they were asking me what happened but the problem was I didn’t know what happened so when I gave them my guess they denied my request to get my money back because they said that it didn’t add up the stories will of course they didn’t because I don’t know what happened and no one would help me figure out what did happen unafraid to create a my Social Security account every time I call the Social Security office people treat me a certain way because I’m on mental disability with a cognitive learning disability and I do have a hard time understanding things so when it comes to fraud and things like that I do understand because it happened to me but I got no understanding from the Social Security Administration it made me feel like I was a liar and like I was trying to get free money I’ve never felt more embarrassed integrated is shamed in my life thank you for the opportunity to leave this email I just wanted to let someone know that we people that are on mental disability we need people who care really bad and there’s not enough of them
John J.
If you have a trusted friend or relative, consider having them file to be your representative payee. That should put your concerns to rest.
Niki
OMGosh, I have felt that way too on my most recent interactions with SSA. When you wait over TWO hours to actually talk to a HUMAN they act degrading. I feel for you. If you can or have the means, go to your local SSA office or call to schedule an appointment. Best of luck.
To the SSA: no one wants to EVER WASTE two hours of their life waiting to talk to your disrespectful employers. Maybe they should receive some type of reprimand or be fired. I mean, you do record the call, right?
Tom
Let me address this. Voters have been convinced government is too big and that has been reflected directly in the budget. Somehow, many in the public believe less government is for someone else, and it won’t happen to me. SSA’s budget has been cut over 11% from 2011 to 2017, as the need for SSA continues to grow. Offices have been closed, many offices are operating with less than 50% of the staff they had 25 years ago. Overtime is cut. All workers have spent a lifetime paying for this program which costs only 1.5% of less of the entire cost of the program. No CEO’s, no investor class, no corporate jets or golden parachutes. Yet Congress responds to donors who want to reduce their taxes by cutting government and making the public less dependent on programs donors oppose. If you vote for that, then one would hope you would not complain. However, democracy requires citizens to be informed and pay attention to what their elected reps do. If you are not paying attention to your government, this is the price you will continue to pay.
cindy f.
I cannot believe what I have just read. You know nothing about every individual that has complained about the insensitive or poor service they have received. Retirees have worked all their lives and paid into this program. They are fully deserving of these small paychecks they receive monthly in order to survive. This is their money that the government has earned interest on for 20 to 35 years. Each and every caller should be treated with respect. That is called Customer Service. We should not have to wait 30 min, much less 2 hours to speak to someone. Government workers are paid quite well, and they should be expected by their managers to handle their jobs.
Mark
You get what you vote for, and the ones you vote for make smaller government, cut employees and you get slow service. Wise up.
Adrienne
I understand both arguments or statements….we have to get those people out of office that are not willing to help change what needs changing and create new laws and processes that need creating and implementing. I’m tired of us electing people into office with all these promises and then they don’t deliver….let’s make them put up or shut up and get out…stop voting for them again if they don’t come through with majority of their campaign prmises… that will show the future political party’s that we the American PEOPLE MEAN BUSINESS
Juan
Offices have cut staff in half because of budget cuts, yet the workloads have continued to increase. Employees are retiring or seeking other employment and those positions are not being replaced. You should write your congressman. The reason you have to wait in long lines is a shortage of employees.
Susan
I do agree. Im in this situation not for myself but my domestic partner who has suffered a stroke and struggles with cognitive ability. Its been since June 2019 and he still is waiting for help. I may not have a job to go back too because I cant leave him alone.
cher
Niki, I agree with you 100%, 2 hr wait and the SSA was so rude and short with me, I explained that as an elderly person I needed help as the web site did not offer the answers I needed. She actually said “I don’t know’ to most of my questions. Where do they get these people?!
jakkrit h.
edit
Tish G.
I found it disturbing that the public affairs specialist(Ann Clifton)
replied to certain people, like someone wanting to know how to apply from overseas or another about fraud calls but had no helpful information from the post of Lori Forester on April 2, 2019 at 1:34 pm. Did I miss something? This lady needed input from the higher powers of S S .