Inspector General Warns Public About Caller-ID “Spoofing” Scheme Misusing SSA Customer Service Number
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: October 22, 2018
The Acting Inspector General of Social Security, Gale Stallworth Stone, is warning citizens about an ongoing caller-ID “spoofing” scheme misusing the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) national customer service phone number. SSA has received numerous reports of questionable phone calls displaying SSA’s 1-800 number on a caller-ID screen. This is a scam; citizens should not engage with those calls or provide any personal information.
These reports indicate the calls display the 1-800-772-1213, SSA’s national customer service number, as the incoming number on caller ID. People who have accepted the calls said the caller identifies as an SSA employee. In some cases, the caller states that SSA does not have all of the person’s personal information, such as their Social Security number (SSN), on file. Other callers claim SSA needs additional information so the agency can increase the person’s benefit payment, or that SSA will terminate the person’s benefits if they do not confirm their information. This appears to be a widespread issue, as reports have come from citizens across the country.
SSA employees do contact citizens by telephone for customer-service purposes, and in some situations, an SSA employee may request the citizen confirm personal information over the phone. However, SSA employees will never threaten you for information or promise a Social Security benefit approval or increase in exchange for information. In those cases, the call is fraudulent, and you should just hang up.
“This caller-ID spoofing scheme exploits SSA’s trusted reputation, and it shows that scammers will try anything to mislead and harm innocent people,” 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 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
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Andrew Cannarsa, OIG Communications Director
Andrew Cannarsa, OIG Communications Director
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Joanne C.
I received a call today on Friday Oct 26th regarding my social security benefits will be suspended. They said they were from Maryland. The number was 1-240-324-8650. I know this a fraudulent call because when I called them, they hung up on my. Please beware!!
Adanech G.
I ,m poor man
Thomas K.
Just got a call claiming it was the SSA and I have been using my ssn in illegal activity. It was a robocall, all recorded, computerized voice. They said I needed to call 240-366-6286 in order to address this issue. I did not call but thought you should know.
R.F.
Thank you for sharing this information, Thomas. As a reminder, if a person receives a suspicious call from someone alleging to be from SSA, citizens may report that information to the OIG at 1-800-269-0271 or online via https://oig.ssa.gov/report. Thanks!
Csmidt
Received 3 calls from them. Phone number is 1 (760) 260-8103
Julian, CA.
Dennis P.
A voicemail was left on my cell phone on 10/24 at 3:52 est. The recording stated that my ssn had been associated with illicit activities, and that my ssn and assets would be suspended if I did not contact the following number immediately; 1 781-923-0694. No other information was provided. Please advise.
Faye M.
I have been called saying there is fraud in my ss then asked for my security number. I refused and she said I would lose my social security.
Blly E.
Is it possible to change SSAN as the current SSN has been used two times to divert Department of Defense
military payments to false bank accounts resulting in no payment of more than $7,200.00 and the valid military retire has no funds for food and other necessities and the DOD Finance and Accounting office will not resend the payments entitled by law to the true military retiree. The SSAN is used by Dept of Defense as the account number of the military retiree.
R.F.
Thank you for contacting us, SGM Maddox.
We can assign a different Social Security number only in certain situations. Please visit our Frequently Asked Questions web page for complete information and instructions. We hope this information helps!
tony
There are so many disability fraudster that the spoofing is karma for their fraud. They are lazy and need to go back to work. The SSA denied 2/3 of the applicants who are not disabled but many slip through the cracks. Social Security disability has become an easy target for those people who are lazy and don’t want to work.
Andrew G.
I may have just received a spoof call. I normally don’t answer numbers I don’t recognize, but it was the 800-772-1213 this article mentions. When I answered, it was an automated message (female tone) prompting me to press 1 to speak with an SSA rep. Naturally I hung up because it seemed unlikely that I’d have trouble with anything short of identity fraud. Then I googled the number and it brought me to SSA.org, so I called the number back (I dialed it, did not redial from call history). So now I’m on hold to speak to an SSA rep. Been waiting an hour so far. Not sure if I should be concerned or not.
Tom V.
I just had one of those “spoofing” calls today..It seemed illegitimate so I did not fall for it….
I fear that a lot of us on SS, of one type or another, are not aware of this problem…
Please get the word out on all media available….
Thank You.
R.F.
Just a reminder – If a person receives a suspicious call from someone alleging to be from SSA, citizens may report that information to the OIG at 1-800-269-0271 or online via https://oig.ssa.gov/report. Thank you for sharing, Tom!