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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Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications
Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications
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Kris F.
Getting multiple calls stating this is the SS office, and your SS # has been suspended due to suspicious activity
8888150557, 8888150553, 8888150521, 8888150502 for the past 2 days 5/6-5/7
L.A.
Hi Kris. Thank you for letting us know about these calls. We do not usually make random calls. If you or anyone receives calls saying that they are from Social Security, do not give out any personal information. Suspicious calls should be reported to the Office of the Inspector General at 1-800-269-0271 or online. You can also report these scams to the Federal Trade Commission through a new site specific to Social Security scams here. We hope this help
Cody
I keep getting calls from 8006743706 saying they are SSA is this yall
L.A.
Hi Cody. Thank you for letting us know about these calls. We do not usually make random calls. If you or anyone receives calls saying that they are from Social Security, do not give out any personal information. Suspicious calls should be reported to the Office of the Inspector General at 1-800-269-0271 or online. You can also report these scams to the Federal Trade Commission through a new site specific to Social Security scams here. We hope this helps.
Deborah C.
I receive a phone call 1-888-815-0504 this morning. Saying that my social security number just suspended because you found suspicious activity. And if I wanted to know about this case to press one. I called this number back and no one answered. Could you please let me know what is going on, I’m a widow and very disturb by this! Please help me. Is this a scam??? What do I do next to prevent this scam.
A.C.
Hi, Deborah. Thanks for checking in with us. We do not usually make random calls. If anyone receives calls saying that they are from Social Security, do not give out any personal information. Suspicious calls should be reported to the Office of the Inspector General at 1-800-269-0271 or online. You can also report these scams to the Federal Trade Commission through a new site specific to Social Security scams, here. We hope this helps.
Diane V.
I got a phone number and extension from someone saying they were from ss. It would be nice if I could verify this phone number is legitimate.
Randall E.
I had a call from 585-000-2110 claiming they were from Social Security. They left a voicemail stating my number was suspended because of suspicious activity.
V.V.
Hi Randall. Thank you for letting us know about the call. Unfortunately there are some Social Security impersonation schemes that we are warning citizens about. See our most recent blog post:
Inspector General Warns Public About Caller ID “Spoofing” of Social Security Fraud Hotline Phone Number
Suspicious calls should be reported to the Office of the Inspector General at 1-800-269-0271 or online. You can also report these scams to the Federal Trade Commission through a new site specific to Social Security scams here.
Kelli B.
i received a phone call on 5/1/19 at 11:31am. This call came on my cell and I was at work so I did not answer. The message said Officer Samantha Rodriguez from the Department of the SS Administration was trying to reach me due to some criminal activity using my SS number. She told me to call back at 915-995-0380 and speak to someone before criminal proceedings began. Needless t say I tried the number it rang and went straight to Voicemail that said they party I was trying to reach could not come to the phone and to leave a detailed message and someone would get back to me.
L.A.
Hi Kelli. Thank you for letting us know about these calls. We do not usually make random calls. If you or anyone receives calls saying that they are from Social Security, do not give out any personal information. Suspicious calls should be reported to the Office of the Inspector General at 1-800-269-0271 or online. You can also report these scams to the Federal Trade Commission through a new site specific to Social Security scams here. We hope this helps.
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Scott I.
Ii received message that my ss number had been suspended and I needed to call back. The # was out of NY. The number was 585-000-2110. Believe it is hoax. My email is simmonssi1994@gmail.com.
Thank you
Scott I Simmons
V.V.
Hi Scott. Thank you for letting us know about the call. Unfortunately there are some Social Security impersonation schemes that we are warning citizens about. See our most recent blog post:
Inspector General Warns Public About Caller ID “Spoofing” of Social Security Fraud Hotline Phone Number
Suspicious calls should be reported to the Office of the Inspector General at 1-800-269-0271 or online. You can also report these scams to the Federal Trade Commission through a new site specific to Social Security scams here.
Vernita B.
Someone called me today saying i frauded SSI and wanted my SS number and information . The number they were calling from was 1-800-984-2942. I then told them I’m not giving them the my information I’m calling SSI first to see if it’s true . They then hung up on me . Thank you for your time.
Vernita Bixler
Robert H.
just got a call from 620-213-8493 saying its the S.Security department and to call them back, scam?
L.A.
Hi Robert. Thank you for letting us know about these calls. We do not usually make random calls. If you or anyone receives calls saying that they are from Social Security, do not give out any personal information. Suspicious calls should be reported to the Office of the Inspector General at 1-800-269-0271 or online. You can also report these scams to the Federal Trade Commission through a new site specific to Social Security scams here. We hope this helps.
marilyn r.
I received two recorded calls today claiming to be from SS indicating that my SS number had been suspended due to suspected misuse. The first came with a ‘scam likely’ notification on my cell phone. I deleted that number. The second call came from another number: 1-855-896-2147.
K.O.
Hi Marilyn. Thank you for informing us about the phone call you received. Unfortunately there are some Social Security impersonation schemes that we are warning citizens about. See our most recent blog post:
Inspector General Warns Public About Caller ID “Spoofing” of Social Security Fraud Hotline Phone Number
Suspicious calls should be reported to the Office of the Inspector General at 1-800-269-0271 or online. You can also report these scams to the Federal Trade Commission through a new site specific to Social Security scams here.