Inspector General Warns Public About SSA Impersonation Schemes
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: July 16, 2018
The Acting Inspector General of Social Security, Gale Stallworth Stone, is warning citizens about ongoing Social Security Administration (SSA) impersonation schemes. SSA and the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) have recently received several reports of suspicious phone calls claiming to be from SSA.
In one case, an automated recording states the person’s Social Security number (SSN) “has been suspended for suspicion of illegal activity,” and the person should contact a provided phone number immediately to resolve the issue. The call concludes by stating if the person does not contact the provided phone number, the person’s assets will be frozen until the alleged issue is resolved. In another case, a caller claims to be from “SSA headquarters” and waits for the person to provide personal information, such as an SSN, address, and date of birth. In January, the OIG shared similar information from the Federal Trade Commission, which reported an increase in reports of suspicious phone calls from people claiming to be SSA employees.
SSA employees occasionally contact citizens by telephone for customer-service purposes. In only a few limited special situations, usually already known to the citizen, an SSA employee may request the citizen confirm personal information over the phone. If a person receives a suspicious call from someone alleging to be from SSA, citizens should report that information to the OIG at 1-800-269-0271 or online via https://oig.ssa.gov/report.
Acting Inspector General Stone continues to warn 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. “Be aware of suspicious calls from unknown sources, and when in doubt, contact the official entity to verify the legitimacy of the call,” Stone said.
If a person has questions about any communication—email, letter, text or phone call—that claims to be from SSA or the OIG, 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. (Those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing can call Social Security’s TTY number at 1-800-325-0778.)
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Tags: fraud, Inspector General, Office of the Inspector General, OIG
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Andrew Cannarsa, OIG Communications Director
Andrew Cannarsa, OIG Communications Director
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Michael A.
Received a call that me social security number was frozen.
phone message with call back number 215-987-0367.
Vonda V.
Michael, 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.
Thomas R.
I have a recorded phone call of this SCAM.
Ray F.
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!
Elizabeth W.
I received one of these calls today staying that my card “has been suspended for suspicion of illegal activity,” and that I should contact a provided phone number immediately to resolve the issue. The phone number provided was 410-489-1218.
Ray F.
Hello Elizabeth, 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 that are 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 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!
Jonatas
Hi, I don’t really know if this is the right place to such question but I will ask anyway. Well, my wife got a call from (800) 772-1213 saying that her SSN will be suspended. The caller asked for personal information such as name and last 4 digits from the SSN. Then she gave. He tried asking for more information, but I got the phone and they disconnected the call. My question is, what they can do with that information, and what should we do? Do we have to replace the SSN for a new one? We are both foreigner, so we are a bit lost.
Sandra B.
This scam recently happened to me but I got the phone number and call them back the phone number was 17742131789. When I confronted the person on the other line disconnected immediately but called back two hours later .I began to think it was real,until I asked the street and office number.They disconnected again.they call themselves “officers”.
Traci
I have now received three phone calls from a recording stating my Social Security number has been Suspended. These are the phone numbers that have shown up on my cell phone:201-829-3078 & 210-591-2871. I did call the 210-591-2871 number back yesterday just to see what the person had to say. A man with an East Indian accent answers and asks me how long ago I received the message, then asks my name and process to ask if my middle name was Lee. I said yes and then he asks if I was given a case number. I said no, so he asks me for the last four numbers on my Social Security card, I told him to tell me those numbers and he tells me I need to give them to him. I told him to screw himself and hung up.
Ray F.
Hello Traci. 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 that are 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 a person has questions about any communication—email, letter, text or phone call—that claims to be from SSA or the OIG, 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).
Citizens may -also- report that information to the OIG at 1-800-269-0271 or online via https://oig.ssa.gov/report.Thanks!
anthony h.
I Anthony hermo snn XXX-XX-XXXX is reporting a fraud by the irs stating that I have to pay medicare cost out of my medicare part b please look into and write to me to resolve the matters
Ray F.
Hello Anthony. Unfortunately, and because of security reasons we do not have access to personal records in this blog. Please call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213 for assistance. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Generally, you will have a shorter wait time if you call later during the day or later in the week.
Please be cautious about posting personal information on social media channels. Thanks!
Mary
My husband received a call from 443-943-3097 stating that they were from social security and there was fraudulent activity and request we call them back said that our bank accounts were frozen, etc. called them back and said never to call us again and we were reporting them to social security. They called at 1:00 est and 7:00 pm.
Kathy F.
We got one today. We did give our social to the number provided above but an hour wait. This is extremely disturbing!
Alina D.
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