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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Robert L.
I’ve had two phone calls and they have left messages. I knew it was a scam, but wanted you to know
L.A.
Hi Robert. Thank you for letting us know about these calls. We do not usually make random calls. If you or 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. We hope this helps.
Janelle R.
Hello my name is Janelle, someone call my cell number saying that there was suspicious activity going with my social security number and he told me he was an ssa representive n to verify my last social security so I gave him my last number not knowing it’s a scam but I told him wait a minute let me call the local ssa office n see if there is someone using my number then he just hung up. He sounded like an Asian Indian. I hope he ain’t using my SS #.
L.A.
Thank you for letting us know about these calls, Janelle. We do not usually make random calls. If you or 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. We hope this helps.
Ms. W.
I received a call today at about 9:00 a.m. from 215-914-5031. The caller stated that they were calling from the Social Security Administration and that my social security number was being cancelled due to criminal activity. I was told I needed to call back to resolve. I didn’t believe it was the social security administration but I wanted to know who was actually calling, so I called back from a different number. The phone was answered by an Asian man stating, this is the Social Security Administration Department. I immediately hung up.
I just wanted to warn others about this new tactic as well and the number that they used to call. It also registered out of Huntington Valley, PA. I noticed that it was a SIP phone because my work phone system identities.
L.A.
Thank you for letting us know about these calls, Ms. Webb. We do not usually make random calls. If you or 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. We hope this helps.
Rhonda
If you receive a call from 866-366-9549 and they leave a voicemail message that says your social security number has been suspended due to suspicious activity and it says to press one now for more information, should you call the 866 number back? I checked my ssa account but there was nothing confirming this on my account. If there is no alert on your account is it correct to assume that the call was a scam? Would there be an alert on your account if there is a problem?
Kenneth H.
They say my ssn was frozen do to sum suspection activities in Mexico n a arrest warrant been sent out for my arrest! ,even tho nobody shows up to my doorsteps I’m not to worried abt it
Eduardo L.
I’ve received several calls from “social security” saying my social security number has been suspended due to suspicious activity. Numbers are 888-217-7676 and 888-828-5993.
A.C.
Thanks for letting us know, Eduardo. 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. Thanks, again.
Shirley E.
Keep getting calls saying there is some problems found within my ssi and its bout to be cut out.
Jayakumar G.
I got scammer call today from 1-800-922-5302 line, but I didn’t share any information – just cut the call.
A.C.
Hi, Jayakumar. 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. Thanks!
Cecil
Today I received calls at 8:37am, 9:02am & 9:20am leaving message to contact SSA at 315-878-7558. All voicemails were robo. I did not call the number but thought I would let people know about the calls and phone number: 1-315-878-7558.
A.C.
Thanks for letting us know, Cecil. 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. Thanks, again.
Bobbie N.
I received a call from this number 1-210-405-3445 on Friday and they told me I need to connect with the concern department because something has been filed on my social security
A.C.
Hi, Bobbie. 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. Thanks, again.