Is that Phone Call From Us?
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: August 19, 2021
It’s the morning of a busy day at home and you get a call from an unknown number. You answer only to find yourself on the receiving end of a threatening message saying your Social Security benefits will stop immediately unless you provide your personal information. It happens every day to thousands of Americans. And it’s not Social Security calling.
Scammers have many ways to lure their victims into providing information and then stealing their identities. Sometimes they call under a guise of helping you complete a disability application.
Protecting your information is an important part of Social Security’s mission to secure today and tomorrow. SSA employees occasionally contact citizens by telephone for customer-service purposes. In only a few special situations, usually already known to the citizen, an SSA employee may request the citizen confirm personal information over the phone. If you do receive a call from one of our representatives, they will provide you with a telephone number and extension.
The Acting Inspector General for Social Security, Gail Stallworth Stone, urges everyone to stay vigilant of impersonation schemes and to not be afraid to hang up.
You must always remember that you’re in control. Also remember that Social Security will never do any of the following:
- Call you to demand an immediate payment.
- Demand that you pay a debt without the ability to appeal the amount you owe.
- Require a specific means of payment, such as requiring you to pay with a prepaid debit card.
- Ask you for your personal information or credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
- Threaten you with arrest or deportation.
If you receive one of these scam calls or emails, do not provide them with any information. You should:
- Hang up immediately.
- For Social Security impersonations, contact Social Security’s Office of Inspector General at https://oig.ssa.gov/report.
If you receive a notice from Social Security, please use the telephone numbers provided in the notice sent to you. You can also call 1-800-772-1213 or visit ssa.gov for how to contact Social Security. Remember that scammers try to stay a step ahead of the curve. You can do the same by protecting your information.
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About the Author
Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications
Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications
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Paul G.
Is there an age limit for educational benefits? I served in 1956.
Steven
Thanks
Steven
Thank you so much for the information..it will really help me out a lot. Thank you
Angela
You know how wrong it is that when I call I get a recording of a Wal-Mart ad several times saying I can receive a $100 Wal-Mart card for doing whatever. Hmmm wonder where these fools are getting our numbers. And I am quite sure that whatever the idea is to get that $100 is just a scam to get people to waste their disability check. Shame on YOU!
Louis T.
PCH I have had more then one time some one saying that they are ho there not. I click yes for friends and the we start texting and then they ask if I pay taxe? I say no I a special American!
Mary S.
I was contacted on my cellphone today about my daughter’s social security. the number that they left to call back was: 1-855-829-8915. Is this legit?
Mary Ann
R.F.
Hi Mary, the telephone number you provided, appears to be legit. SSA employees occasionally contact citizens by telephone for customer-service purposes. An SSA employees 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, 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). Thanks!
vince k.
11-1-17
After I filed s/s benefit application, I received a call from # 510-xxx-xxxx(found not working#), and asked
call back to 510-xxx-xxxx. I called this #, and recording massage said, leave my name, , tel # and s/s #.
Also, got email, from DoNotReply@ssa.gov, asked to call # 877-772-xxxx. Could you please, verify all these are legitimate or fraud?
I am so worrying.
Thank you.
V. Kim
R.F.
Thank you for contacting us, Vince. The telephone numbers that you provided, are (good) working numbers for our Workload Support Unit. Social Security employees occasionally contact citizens by telephone for customer-service purposes. An SSA employees may call you in limited situations, such as if you recently filed a claim or have other Social Security business that are pending. However, when a person has questions about any communication —email, letter, text or phone call— that claims to be from SSA, we ask that they call Social Security’s toll-free customer service number at 1-800-772-1213 to verify its legitimacy (TTY number at 1-800-325-0778). Representatives are available Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thanks.
Just a reminder – please be cautious about posting personal information on social media and communicating personal information via email.
Dave
Can SSA clearly clarify that their employee calls will be from genuine toll free numbers (ideally just one) providing which are genuine ones. Above just indicates customer service agents can call however doesn’t indicate which numbers should show up on users phone. A private number like 510 is suspicious compared to toll free 800 types. SSA clearly providing the list of numbers they use for business and which will show up on users phone helps a bit (sure someone could spoof that as well however at least we know that any private number being used for SSA conversations is straight away scam).
V.V.
Hi Dave. Unfortunately there are some Social Security impersonation schemes that we are warning citizens about, including a caller-ID “spoofing” scheme misusing the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) national customer service phone number. See our blog post:
Inspector General Warns Public About Caller-ID “Spoofing” Scheme Misusing SSA Customer Service Number
Suspicious calls should be reported to the Office of the Inspector General at 1-800-269-0271 or online at http://www.oig.ssa.gov/report. You can also report these scams to the Federal Trade Commission through a new site specific to Social Security scams here http://www.identitytheft.gov/SSA.
Beth S.
For the last 2 days I have received over 10 calls per day from various numbers. I don’t answer them but they leave a voicemail message saying that my ssn is being used for fraudulent fraudulent purposes and the have sent out a warrant for my arrest. Also that my benefits are going to be cancelled if I don’t talk to an officer immediately. Push 1 to connect to an officer. Should I continue to ignore these calls
keith
i got a call from SSA caller ID showed a 401 area code. call back no answer. looked up all SSA # all are 877 or 800 but no 401 i think its a scam.
R.F.
Hi Keith, SSA employees occasionally contact citizens by telephone for customer-service purposes. An SSA employees may call you in limited situations, such as if you recently filed a claim or have other Social Security business that are pending. If a person has 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). Thanks.
Thomas K.
PLEASE DELETE MY COMMENTS – THEY WERE NOT MEANT FOR GENERAL CONSUMPTION – ESPECIALLY MY PHONE # – THOUGHT I WAS CONTACTING YOUR OFFICE ONLY!!!
Thomas K.
I am attempting to connect with a “Jane” who called me from a 410 # about my letter of concern. When I call back I am consistently told I need a last name in order to find “Jane”.
“Jane” stated (a) that you sent me a response in writing = never received and (b) when she called & it goes into voice mail she would call again = never does.
I have no way to return the call.
Thomas Joseph Kapocius
Thomas K.
PLEASE REMOVE THIS