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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Richard G.
When will congress make Caller-ID spoofing a felony?
BlueKaiser
How about my friends at the IRS, calling me daily on an urgent matter from Bangladesh.
Angela S.
Something needs to be done because the elderly on fixed incomes are getting the brunt of most of these scams. My parents don’t answer they’re phones anymore.
Ginny
I have been getting 4 or 5 calls a day about back braces. I’ve never actually talked to them because when I see a phone number on Caller ID that I don’t recognize I don’t answer the phone. They leave messages that time is running out to get a back brace because Medicare won’t pay. I have no need for a brace! I had surgery early last year for a broken wrist. I got so many of these calls from so many different numbers asking if my pain medication was working and if not they could get me additional medication. I told them I diid NOT need any pain pills and to quit calling me – but the calls didn’t stop until I told them I was going to report them to the law. Those calls were all day, all the time from different locations all over the U.S. When they called I blocked their # but they would use a different number every time. My wuestion is HOW did they know I had surgery and had been prescribed pain pills! I didn’t take but a couple pills the first day and then if I needed a little help for pain, Tylenol worked. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE!
H M.
How do I know this e-mail is not a scam ???
Linda S.
called twice from 888-810-5134..person said my SS# was being suspended and I needed to call this number. I did not call them.
Niki
I just took so much time to formulate a response that NEVER POSTED.
Ron
Spoofing aka fraud is a National problem. Why has the government not required the phone companies to use the sience the have to FUX this problem?
Cindy
I got one of these calls!
John
Having a hotline where you can go to report these schemes is a great idea.