National Slam the Scam Day Approaching on March 10
Reading Time: 3 MinutesLast Updated: March 7, 2022
Chances are someone you know has received a call or message from someone pretending to be a government employee. These calls often allege that your information has been compromised or they demand immediate payment. Ignore it. This is just one of the tips that Social Security’s Office of the Inspector General (SSA OIG) is sharing to warn consumers about these scams through our National Slam the Scam Day initiative on March 10, 2022.
Slam the Scam Day is an initiative to raise public awareness of the pervasive scams that continue to plague the nation and is part of the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) National Consumer Protection Week, happening March 6-12, 2022. The initiative, which began in 2020 to combat Social Security-related scams, is now expanding to include other government imposter scams. In a government imposter scam, someone claims to be an SSA, or another government employee, and may ask for personal information, demand payment, or make threats. These scams primarily use the telephone, but scammers may also use email, text messages, social media, or U.S. mail.
Tips for spotting scams is a major goal of this year’s campaign. SSA OIG partners with other government agencies, non-profit organizations, and the private sector to increase awareness about how to spot government imposter scams and avoid becoming a victim. According to the FTC, from January through September 2021, consumers lost more than $331 million dollars to government imposter scams.
“As we continue working with our law enforcement partners and partners from the private sector to combat these sinister schemes, I urge consumers to simply hang up the phone, or delete suspicious texts and emails, without responding to the scammers,” Inspector General Ennis said. “That is the easiest and most effective way to avoid falling prey to these vicious scams.”
“We are concerned that fraudsters continue trying to trick people into providing personal information or money,” said Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting Commissioner of Social Security. “I urge people to remain alert, hang up if a scammer calls, and ignore their attempts if you receive a suspicious email, text, or letter.”
SSA OIG provides resources on its website and posts tips and warnings on social media platforms. Their webinars and social media chats will give you information to empower you to Slam the Scam.
We urge everyone to be cautious of any contact supposedly from a government agency telling you about a problem you don’t recognize.
Real government officials will NEVER:
- Threaten arrest or legal action against you unless you immediately send money.
- Promise to increase your benefits or resolve a problem if you pay a fee or move your money into a protected account.
- Require payment with gift cards, prepaid debit cards, wire transfer, Internet currency, or by mailing cash.
- Try to gain your trust by providing fake “documentation,” false “evidence,” or the name of a real government official.
Scammers frequently change their approach, trying new tactics and messaging to trick people. We encourage you to keep up to date on the latest news and advisories by following SSA OIG on Twitter and Facebook or subscribing to receive email alerts.
We encourage you to report Social Security-related scams and fraud online on our SSA OIG website. You can report other government imposter scams on the FTC website. Join us on March 10, on Facebook and Twitter, to participate on National Slam the Scam Day using #SlamTheScam. You can also visit SSA OIG’s Scam Alert page for more information.
Remember, Social Security will never threaten, scare, or pressure you to take immediate action. Recognize the signs of a Social Security-related scam and report it. Together, we can Slam the Scam!
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Tags: fraud, Inspector General, Office of the Inspector General, scams, telephone scams
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James W.
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Trendvideostatus
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Thevesign
Thankyou for this article ! Amazing sir
Tania A.
“Hola”
Mi nombre es “Tania yamileth Aldana Vanegas”
-Espero que todos esten bien.
-Soy la madre de:
April zambrana12/28/2013
Melody Aldana 04/13/2019
Julie Aldana 07/16/20
Ellas son las joyas mas preciosa que Dios me regalo, son la razon de querer darles una vida llena de mas posibilidades.
-lo unico q se me complica alcanzar las muchas otras oportunidades de crear un futuro ejemplar para ellas y su aporte en la vida y la sociedad
-Pido perdon si paresco imprudente, Mi intension es unicamente esta ayuda, -Espero puedan entender que solo eh tenido la mala suerte de lado pero soy una madre que ah hecho lo humanamente posible , pero la vida da los frutos a quien tiene deseos de emprender un nuevo camino lleno de oportunidades
-Depende solo de este numero como llave -Agradecere siendo responsable en todo lo q al # respecta.
-De antemano si no es posible el que me probean esto que tanto necesito, de todas formas Gracias; disculpandome si fui imprudente espero se entienda la peticion.
-Deseo que esten bien solamente queda esperar confiando y teniendo la certeza de que Dios de alguna manera resolvera mis dificultades en este momento por favor no soy un robot o persona q intenta robar identidad pero tengo bloqueado todos mis beneficios Dios sabe mi situación no me justifico solo Dios sabe lo difícil q me ah tocado por favor no se van arrepentir y yo con mi trabajo reflejado se los agradeceré mil
-por el momento seria todo no espero solo confío
“muchas Gracias”,. Siento mucho si se nota mi desespero pero así de increíble es la ayuda informática q eh recibido ah sido casi así me disculpo nuevamente espero resolver algo un poquito ayudaría mucho
John M.
It seems as though Kenneth S. has waaaay too time on his hands….
Don R.
I have had these calls along with ones that claim the are calling about my Medicare. The dead gives away is that the have an accent from India and you can hear people in the (boiler room) background. Secondly the caller ID shows someone’s name, not available or cell phone which is because they hacked a number messages most of which will give you a “Not In Service” message if you call them.
Kenneth
Tax return
anonymous
kenneth you havespammed these comments at least 6-8 times without counting…why?
Kenneth S.
Beneficios and ssc
Kenneth S.
Beneficios ssc
Kenneth
Beneficios medicare y ssc
Kenneth
Medicare salud
Tania I.
“Hello”
My name is “Tania yamileth Aldana Vanegas”
-I hope everyone is well.
-I am the mother of:
April zambrana12/28/2013
Melody Aldana 04/13/2019
Julie Aldana 07/16/20
They are the most precious jewels that God gave me, they are the reason I want to give them a life full of more possibilities.
-the only thing that makes it difficult for me to reach the many other opportunities to create a exemplary future for them and their contribution to life and society
-I apologize if I seem reckless, My intention is only this help, -I hope you can understand that I have only had bad luck on my side but I am a mother who has done what humanly possible, but life bears fruit to those who want to embark on a new path full of opportunities
-Depends only on this number as a key -I will appreciate being responsible in everything I do
Tawanna P.
Who represents an SSI recipient when a payee non-profit agency does ‘Bullying” to a love one/! I was my daughter’s payee ever since she was 6years old, now 45 and was put in a non-profit program by her father who stole her SSI from ME in 1991! He did this in retaliation of keeping her money from me so that she and would be homeless! I have been fighting for her rights all alone but to no avail, he has manage to partly escape the wrong that he has done to me and ALL 6 of our children, now adults when he lied to get custody in abusive custody battle in the county of Sacramento, CA during 1991 to Now. I’m still fighting for her rights to get out of this “Stolkom Sysdrome” S.T.E.P. Strategies To Empowerment Program but the ONLY thing they have empowered is themselves by “Bullying” my daughter to give up her SSI AND ALL her Stimilis monies to them lying to her saving it’s in saving account but she has never seen this savings account nor been able to use any of her SSI for her personals, she calls me to tell me they only give her $20 every month of her $998 because she has give her money for a ROOM in a house the 2 elderly ladies who can’t do the dishes or take out the trash! Who was taking out their trash BEFORE my daughter got there? Why does she has to be treated as if she doesn”t have the right to say where and who she wants to live with?! If it were not for Me, taking her to her child psychologists, IEP meetings in the schools I had to tranport her because the schoolbus driver in Oakland, CA once forgot to bring her home because she claim she was so quiet! Which is just ONE of the many reasons I had to move out of the Bay Area! Then Sacramento, CA became a NIGHTMARE of ABUSE, SCAMS, BULLYING, LIERS, SLUMLORDS and EVICTION and THIEVING NON-PROFIT PAYEES!
Kennehh S.
Beneficies
Kenneth S.
Beneficios and social security
bettyg
i’m so sorry for your daughter/you have been experiencing by this broken down system.
hugs/prayers to you both.
ss should be replying to you in depth vs. their canned form responses they normally give here.
Shubh S.
nice article … full of information
check – Hindi Shayari
Todd F.
It would be helpful to have the SS give us some key questions to ask the scammer right at the beginning, to throw them off script and let us know indeed they are a scammer
Lori G.
The best thing to remember is that Social Security and Medicare never call you without you reaching out to them first and most response from them will come to your postal mailbox. Programs that provide assistance with Medicare such as the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) will never reach out to you unless you have reached out to them first and will definitely never ask for credit card information since their services are provided free of charge.
Kenneth S.
Beneficios and Social security
Suman k.
Nice website sir ! Visit here