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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Betty
Is 866-431-3875 a legitimate phone number for the “Immediate Claims Taking Unit” of the SSA?
Ronald G.
Recorded voice mail indicated that my SSN “has been suspended” Contacted by link to a person who claimed, after I asked, that she worked for the Soc. Sec. Admin.
Received call at 7:38 PST by “unknown caller”
Please update me on my status, and, yes I did leave her my SSN.
A.C.
Thanks for checking in with us, Ronald. 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.
Etta L.
I have received telephone calls from two different numbers regarding SSA. One was about an arrest warrant being issued for me. I thought I should turn the numbers in to SSA. Monday from 1404-206-5886 and again on Friday from 1-202-463-9166. I have blocked both numbers, but would like to know if the are fraudulent. Thanks
V.V.
Hi Etta. Thank you for letting us know about these calls. Unfortunately there are some Social Security impersonation schemes that we are warning citizens about.
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.
Jody S.
I keep getting phone calls saying my social security number has been suspended due to different activity on it
V.V.
Hi Jody. 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 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.
Kirk K.
I keep getting a call from an 858-816-….(a variety of numbers), with a voice message stating my social security account has been compromised and asks me to press 1 to connect to someone at Social Security. Is this legit?
V.V.
Hi Kirk: Thank you for letting us know about these calls. Unfortunately there are some Social Security impersonation schemes that we are warning citizens about.
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.
Johnny C.
I was calling 1800 772 1213 and since the waiting time was to long, I decided to have a call back from SSA, but the system did not let me give the correct phone number, so I had to hang up.
V.V.
Johnny, we’re sorry that you had difficulty reaching someone by phone. We may have been experiencing higher than normal call volume. Generally, when calling our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213, you will have a shorter wait time if you call later during the day or later in the week. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Remember, many services, including applying for retirement, disability and Medicare benefits, requesting a replacement Medicare card, or reporting a change of address are conveniently available anytime at our website. When you use your personal my Social Security account, you can click on “Get Help” to “Ask a Question” or “Talk to an Expert” for a call back. Plus, a new “Click to Chat” feature, providing individuals in their my Social Security account an opportunity to chat with a Social Security representative, is coming soon.
Danielle
Received a call from 985.242.0632 stating they were from the FBI and calling on behalf of SS. Clearly a scam. Yet I wanted to send you the number.
V.V.
Hi Danielle. Thank you for letting us know about the call. Unfortunately there are some Social Security impersonation schemes that we are warning citizens about.
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.
Kathleen R.
Received three robo call from 606-907-4345 stating there is fraudulent activity on my social security number and my social security payment will be stoped. Did not call back.
V.V.
Hi Steven. Thank you for letting us know about these calls. Unfortunately there are some Social Security impersonation schemes that we are warning citizens about.
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.
Glen B.
Today I got a phone call from 985-438-4338, as follows:
“Your social security number has been discontinued. Please dial number one to speak to an agent”.
I entered the number 1 and someone with an accent asked for my social security number.
I said, “Wait a minute, I need to get something to write this information down, so that I can be sure that this call is not a scam”.
The caller then hung up. I figure that it probably was a scam. I didn’t get the caller’s name, but I figure he wouldn’t have told me his real name anyway.
V.V.
Hi Glen. Thank you for letting us know about the call. Unfortunately there are some Social Security impersonation schemes that we are warning citizens about.
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.
Floyd R.
Received a call yesterday, they left a message. I quote:
Unfortunate actions—-be against you and your social security number has been suspected or fraudulent activities so once you receive this message—call us back as soon as possible on our number before we even with the legal proceedings against you that is 887066456. repeat 866-706-4156. Thank you.
Could your department please call them and let me know what this is about, I do believe it is probably a scam as I have no idea what they are talking about. Thank you.
V.V.
Hi Floyd: Thank you for letting us know about these calls. Unfortunately there are some Social Security impersonation schemes that we are warning citizens about.
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.