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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Rosaria F.
I am receiving calls from 1-855-602-9786. Unidentifiable, also i am receiving OBSCENE TEXTS from again another unidentifiable sender telephone no is 517-763-9753 asking for friendship & sex. They sent a Picture of a twenty-some women holding her Breast. I am to be 74 years old next month and I believe this is a deliberate harassment. Calling identifying herself with texts as Wilima. I am getting v upset and concerned. I do not associate w sick people. Please help, I am really getting v frightened.
Theodore E.
I keep getting robo-calls from (510) 112-7xxx that says my SSN has been suspended. I believe this is a scam since I block each call and then get a new one with a varied last three digits. Can this be researched and hopefully stopped? Or email me if this is true.
Thank you.
stacy m.
i just got a call saying something is wrong with my ss# like someone used it how can i check to see if it is true?
thank you for your time stacy m
L.A.
Hi Stacy. 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.
STEPHEN M.
I got a CALL ABOUT 1 pm, NEVADA TIME.
THAT # was: (323) 218-7196.
I was INFORMED THAT THERE was SOME FRAUD.
THAT I NEEDED CALL CALL THIS NUMBER BACK !!
ALSO, my ACCOUNT had BEEN CLOSED due to THIS FRAUD.
Sooooo, WHAT SHOULD I do ???
A.C.
Hi, Stephen. 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.
PATRICIA C.
June 18, 2019. 11:00 am. Received a call from Kevin Bingham with Social Security. Phone # 1-817-385-6962, stating Legal enforcement Action was filed with ocial Security against us for Fraudulent actions on our social securities. Since our ss check was not deposited at the usual time of the month, which is usual the 15th, is this from Social Security or is this fraudulent? If it’s fraudulent can you call back and set them up to get them arrested?
L.A.
Hi Patricia. 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
Daniel D.
I have been waiting for a return phone call back from the person working on my ssd application I have left a messag 1 time per week for a few weeks. I am not sure if she is trying to contact me because my cell phone is saying some numbers are recognized as spam, can I give this number to be reached most of the time? 603-458-5346
A.C.
Hi, Daniel. We are sorry to hear about your experience. For your security, we do not have access to private information in this venue. We ask that members in our Blog community to continue to work with our offices with specific questions. You can call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., for assistance. Generally, you will have a shorter wait if you call later in the day. You can also contact your local Social Security office. You can ask to speak to a supervisor on your next visit or call. We hope this is resolved soon.
Trish P.
Recevived a call numerous of time from 585-438-6167 and 501-585-7982 stating that my SS card was being cancelled due to money laundering/fraud. So I called and they respond with Social Security Administration office. They asked for my card number in which I did not give and asked them to give me what they had they would not do that either so I hung up. Just need to know that this was not your office and I did the right thing or is my card really in jeopardy??
Dixie S.
I’ve had 2 calls in the last hour from a recorded person just saying they are with SS Administration and leaving a phone # for me to call. I didn’t answer the call either time so they just left a message with a different # for me to call each time.
John A.
I received calls once per week claiming my SS# has been compromised and my benefits have been cancelled the number on my cell phone is 1800-001-8213. Is this a scam call?
A.C.
Hi, John. 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.
Douglas E.
I received two phone calls today. 1-310-359-8976 & 469-480-3137. The people on the line stated that they were from SSA. During the conversation I think I gave them my SS#. They threaten me. I called phone numbers above, afterwards, and they said that their office was in San Antonio. Please help me.
A.C.
Hi, Douglas. Thanks for letting us know. 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.