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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Cheri T.
Yesterday (9-03-2019) I received a voice messaging on my phone saying, “This call is from the Department of Social Security administration and the reason you have received this call from our department is to inform you that we just suspend your Social Security number because we found some suspicious activity, so if you want to know about this case just press one Thank you”
Sharon H.
Got a call from Austin, TX 1-512-974-5284 that I did not answer as I didn’t recognize the number. Almost immediately I got a voice mail from California stating that they had received a legal complaint under my social security number and my social security number will be suspended due to fraudulent activities in the state of TX asking me to press 1 to speak to a social security officer.
Tom G.
I received a call on our home phone from
(This is how it was shown on the phone screen)
SOC SEC ADMIN
the incoming number is 866 563 9310.
Question for you is:
Is this a legitimate call?
L.A.
Hi Tom. 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.
Georgia H.
The #3125006562, has called me 8 times in the past 2 days, 4 of them before 10AM today! Each time leaving threatening voice messages, that charges will be filed against me if I do not return their call! I called the # & someone answered it, that did not speak English very well, stating it was the SSA!
L.A.
Hi Georgia. 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.
Sukhdeep B.
Phone call from 8529646229 claiming its from SSA
L.A.
Hi Sukhdeep. 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.
Paul S.
At 8:49 a.m. MDT I received a phone call from 1-256-418-3452. My smart phone indicated that the call came from Fort Payne AL. Due to the nature of my volunteer work, I often receive calls from numbers I don’t recognize, so not answering is not an option for me. It was a recorded message, threatening me to take action or my Social Security Number would be inactivated. I’m fairly sure it was a fraudulent call. Perhaps you will be able to follow up on this number. Thank you.
L.A.
Hi Paul. 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.
Amy s.
I did not receive my social security check I get it on the first so I should have got it on Friday. Where my check
R. R.
Got a scam call from 800 989 2631 impersonating the ssa.
L.A.
Hi R.R. 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.
Dennis S.
I have receive 2 calls in the past 2 days stating my SS Account has been suspended. One message came from 1-352-667-6895 and the other was 1-860-568-1 and the remainder numbers didn’t show.
Please verify that this wasn’t from SSA.
Linda T.
got mised call message to call 562 309 8527 that my ss number is being used fraud to call them back.I do not reply to them .
Linda Tagliaferri this is aout 3 time they have called in 3 mo
linjojo49@gmail.com
K.O.
Hello Linda. Thanks for checking with us. You may report suspicious calls 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 site specific to Social Security scams, here. We hope this helps.