Inspector General Warns Public About OIG Impersonation Schemes
Reading Time: 1 MinuteLast Updated: October 10, 2018
The Acting Inspector General of Social Security, Gale Stallworth Stone, is warning citizens about an ongoing Office of the Inspector General (OIG) impersonation scheme. The OIG has recently received reports from citizens about suspicious phone calls claiming to be from the Acting Inspector General.
The reports indicate the caller identifies as “Gale Stone” and states the person’s Social Security number (SSN) is at risk of being deactivated or deleted. The caller then asks the person to call a provided phone number to resolve the issue. Citizens should be aware that the scheme’s details may vary; however, citizens should avoid engaging with the caller or calling the number provided, as the caller might attempt to acquire personal information.
The Acting Inspector General urges citizens to be 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 the Acting Inspector General or from the OIG, you should report that information to the OIG at 1-800-269-0271 or online via https://oig.ssa.gov/report.
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Tags: fraud, Inspector General, Office of the Inspector General, OIG, SSN
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Andrew Cannarsa, OIG Communications Director
Andrew Cannarsa, OIG Communications Director
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John
Just received a message from 1-254-221-4073 supposedly from OIG indicating my social security number suspension.
Eva M.
I have been receiving tcalls with phone number listed in this article since August of 2018. I be came suspicious when my e mail message inbox w Social Security showed no messages. And the phone number left no information on my VM
Larry w.
I am Larry orr of Syracuse ny. 13207 I stopped page plus phone service and next month started receiving phone calls from all over world ! Very strange think they got mad and revived my info !
Colleen B.
I received a voice mail from 240-972-2109 claiming to be Officer Mendez saying my social security number has been used in “illegal activity” and to call them as soon as possible, and if I don’t, she wished me luck! I called back & a woman, (another Hispanic name I can’t recall) read me a rather detailed report about this activity. Basically, they said that my social security number was used to rent a car in Maryland and was found abandoned with blood found and identified as being involved in drug trafficking and cocaine; Mexico was also mentioned. She asked if I recognized any names she mentioned (can’t remember the names) and did I know anyone who might be involved; I told her no. They said they wanted to give me a new social security number if this was not me. She spoke very fast with a thick accent; I kept asking her to slow down so I could understand her. She asked several times for my SS number; I finally gave her the last four digits; now I regret that. I told her I was going to speak with my husband before going any further; at that point, the woman hung up on me.
V.V.
Colleen, thank you for checking in with us. Social Security Administration (SSA) employees occasionally contact citizens by telephone for customer-service purposes. An SSA employee may call you in limited situations, such as if you recently filed a claim or have other Social Security business pending. In only a few limited special situations, usually already known to the citizen, an SSA employee may request the citizen to confirm personal information over the phone.
If you have questions about any communication — email, letter, text or phone call — that claims to be from SSA, please contact your local Social Security office, or call Social Security’s toll-free customer service number at 1-800-772-1213, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, to verify its legitimacy (TTY number at 1-800-325-0778). You may also report the information to the OIG at 1-800-269-0271 or online via https://oig.ssa.gov/report.
Donna M.
Received a call from 760-938-6156, saying my social security number has been comprised in Texas — the person calling identified herself as Officer Deb Johnson. Told her I would contact local Social Security Office. Is this a number actually associated with the SSA?
Linda S.
I have been getting the call as described above, in fact about 8 times within the last 4 hours. I’m so glad you have this posted, I new the call had to be fraudulent.
A. M.
I appreciate this info. However, is it possible to send a letter to those that don’t have a SS online acct. while I am techlogically savvy, not everyone is and my fear is that critical info will not be received by those that need it the most. Just a thought.
Vera S.
I get calls from a ‘company’ that does not give a name but says they are trying to contact me to refund money to me as the company has been ordered to close. They give a number to call back ‘right away’ so I can get my refund. I have never called them back, but they leave messages for me at least twice a year!
Norma V.
I keep getting text and emails about a bank card coming to me so my benefits can be on there earlier. I think AVID. I get direct deposit for my funds. It tells me to activate information. Is this real?
A.C.
Hi, Norma. Please be suspicious of unsolicited text or email messages. If an unknown individual claims to be from a legitimate organization, try to verify his or her identity directly with the company. Avoid providing personal information unless you are certain of a person’s authority to have the information. If you are not certain that an E-mail or text you received came from a legitimate source, DO NOT click the link. Visit the Office of Inspector General’s Scam Awareness web page to learn more about how to detect fraudulent messages. We hope this information helps!
Gary L.
I have no knowledge of any of this…Thank You