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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Ronald P.
Your website is totally useless for reporting fraudulent calls from people claiming to be from. The Social Security Administration. All it does is show me a bunch of stupid articles that don’t help at all. I had to blindly mash on the keys several times until the website thought I was retarded before it brought up this box to type anything in! Today June 25, 2019 at approximately 2:45 pm (CDT) I received a call from someone claiming to be from the SSA asking me for information so they could send me money. The number they called me from came thru my caller ID as (262)419-1129; and I immediately told them that they were not from the SSA and that I was going to report them to which they replied, “Good luck with that.” The caller sounded like a female with an Indian accent, not an American Indian either, but one from Asia. Please send the information to the proper authorities.
Brenda J.
I have been receiving calls from 310-945-5334, stating they are from the Social Security Administration and I should not disregard the call in regards to a serious matter with my social security number and it has been canceled due to the problem. They said I should call and when I did call and ask for their location they hung up on me. I know this is a scam but I need to know my number is alright.
A.C.
Hi, Brenda. 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.
Achille C.
Received Scam call from 347-305-6288 24JUN19 8:19am PT.
Voicemail left saying my Social Security number was suspended due to suspicious activity. Requested that I press one to get info.
I blocked the number. Does anybody close these telephone numbers and jail the perpetrators?
J.Y.
Thanks for letting us know. 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. Thanks also for helping us fight fraud.
M R.
just got a call from number:
(813) 474-9819
clearly a scam, telling me my ss# was “suspended because we found some suspicious activity”.
Just wanted to make you aware in case you take action against scammers.
J.Y.
Thanks for letting us know. 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. Thanks also for helping us fight fraud.
John K.
I got a phone call today from a phone number with area code 469. The caller said he was a SSA service center representative, but not from Texas..
The rep was returning my call today to the general voicemail box of my local SSA office.
What is the fuller phone number that I should have expected a call back number from and what city outside of Texas might that person have been calling from?
Yolanda R.
At 2:45pm got a call from the Amaretto Social Security office they found suspicious activity on my social security card and they were going to suspend my social security card.
Sharon D.
I received a call from 1-816-936-3000, saying they were from Kansas City, MO following up on my online claim. Are they legit?
L.A.
Hi Sharon. 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.
Mary E.
We have received several calls that sound like a computer voice on our answering machine allegedly from the SSN. It says there is a lawsuit for fraudulence pending on our account. The name and number that come up are: Jose Sanchez, 202 745 0021. When I called this number, it states that it is not in service. I assume it is a phony call, but just want to make sure. Thanks for your attention.
L.A.
Thank you for letting us know about these calls, Mary. 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.
Miriam c.
Please call me at 609/655-4805, about scam and fraud
Sylvia d.
My name is sylvia Diaz I am received phone calls stating it is the social security office saying my social security number is being investigated for fraudulent issues their number is 1-319-859-8812 from cedar falls IA I have received serveral calls from that number
L.A.
Hi Sylvia. 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.