Scams Come In Many Different Forms
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: July 16, 2021
Social Security is at the forefront of keeping your online data secure, but you play a vital role in safeguarding your personal information too.
Scammers commonly target people who are looking for Social Security program and benefit information. You might receive an advertisement in the mail, but it could be from a private company or even a scammer. U.S. law prohibits people and businesses from using words or emblems that mislead others. Their advertising can’t lead people to believe that they represent, are somehow affiliated with, or endorsed or approved by Social Security or the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (Medicare).
If you receive misleading information about Social Security, send the complete advertisement, including the envelope it came in, to:
Office of the Inspector General Fraud Hotline
Social Security Administration
P.O. Box 17768
Baltimore, MD 21235
Scams can also happen online. A growing tactic for scammers is to use online dating sites. According to the United States Postal Inspection Service’s recent messaging, before starting an internet-based relationship, we should always keep our personal details to ourselves until you meet face-to-face. Next, do an internet search of the other person’s name and the town they claim to be living in.
Here are indications that someone may not be who they say they are:
- A mismatch between their name and the name embedded in their email address.
- There are obvious spelling and grammar errors.
- They asked if you would send or receive money/packages on someone else’s behalf.
- They need money right away due to a medical emergency, or they need a visa or air tickets. Or, a business opportunity arose that was too good to turn down. Can you wire a loan?
If anyone asks for your Social Security number, never give it to them. And if they are specifically pretending to be from Social Security, please report the information to the Office of the Inspector General at 1-800-269-0271 or online.
Protecting your information is an important part of Social Security’s mission. You work hard and make a conscious effort to save and plan for retirement. For more information, please visit the Office of the Inspector General’s website.
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About the Author
Mike Korbey, Deputy Commissioner for Communications
Mike Korbey, Deputy Commissioner for Communications
Comments
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janet H.
To whom it may concern,
Someone contacted my husband and I, stating that our Social Security would stop because of fraud and that we need to contact them as soon as possible. They left a phone number but we did not call them back. We always heard, that the Social Security department would contact you by letter. Is this correct?
A.C.
Thanks for checking in with us, Janet. We do not usually make random calls. If anyone receives calls saying they are from Social Security, do not give out any personal information. Suspicious calls should be reported to the Office of the Inspector General online. We hope this helps.
Don K.
Oct. 21, 2019 (11:45 a.m. Central Time Zone)
I just received a phone call from: 1-888-658-0532
The phone call was a recorded message. It claimed to be from the Social Security Administration. The recording said “your Social Security number is being cancelled due to fraudulent activities.”
I hung up the phone.
L.A.
Hi Don. Thank you for checking in with us. Keep in mind that 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 online. We hope this helps.
L.A.
Hi Don. Thanks for letting us know about these calls. We do not usually make random calls. If anyone receives calls saying they are from Social Security, do not give out any personal information. Suspicious calls should be reported to the Office of the Inspector General 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.
MJ H.
Good grief, everybody and his/her/their want my SSN. Can’t get much of anything done w/o it, since outdated systems still use it as an identifier. I’d like to slap silly the congresscritters who said using ssn for id was okay in the first place. (Not a threat, but an expression of frustration) Do-over was a good idea. Hope it’s not too late.
Thanks for asking.
LINDA B.
I get calls all the time that my social security number has been suspended.
L.A.
Hi Linda. Thanks for letting us know about these calls. We do not usually make random calls. If anyone receives calls saying they are from Social Security, do not give out any personal information. Suspicious calls should be reported to the Office of the Inspector General 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.
George H.
Left a message on this site within the last half hour reporting a scam contact. I forgot to report the phone number on which they contacted me. The number they used was;
430-209-0586.
George H.
I was contacted yesterday (10/18/19) by someone claiming to be Social Security. They accused me of fraud, money laundering, and drug running. They had a lot of my personal information which concerns me. I am contacting my financial institutions and credit card companies and alerting them of suspicious activity.
L.A.
Hi George. Thanks for letting us know about these calls. We do not usually make random calls. If anyone receives calls saying they are from Social Security, do not give out any personal information. Suspicious calls should be reported to the Office of the Inspector General 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.
Kevin H.
Strange review request and letter just got sent me, strange writing and questions and format just didn’t fit previous cities or statements very strange question are form, said possiblity of a bigger review could happen.
L.A.
Hi Kevin. Thank you for checking in with us. Keep in mind that we do send letters and notifications to beneficiaries. However, if you or anyone receives a suspicious letter or call saying that they are from Social Security, do not give out any personal information. Suspicious letters or calls should be reported to the Office of the Inspector General online. You can also report call scams to the Federal Trade Commission through a site specific to Social Security call scams here. We hope this helps.
Connie D.
I just received a call regarding my SS check, that it will be garnish if I don’t call this number 443-266-8274.
L.A.
Hi Connie. Thank you for checking in with us. Keep in mind 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 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.
Anthony M.
You know somebody called me yesterday from this number 219-985-3382 and they were telling me that they were the Social Security Administration and that somebody had found my card in a abandoned car on the border of Texas I’ve never been to Texas I’m in San Diego California I still have my social security card in my wallet and that they said that somebody is using it to get into my account and that I have to change my number and I’m like what are you people crazy don’t you know you’re stupid and people are not going to believe you but they kept on with all year you’re going to lose your social security number unless you verify it with us please call them get them arrested for what they’re doing because of the illegal it’s scary and it’s not right do something to them please
L.A.
Hi Anthony. Thank you for checking in with us. Keep in mind 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 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.
Paul E.
I received a letter thanking me for my change of address, but I have not moved. I am now on the phone in the midst of an INTERMINABLE hold, waiting to talk to someone to help me straighten out your error. It seems to me that it should be much easier to fix this issue online than to sit on the phone for an hour or more, but SSA does not give me that option. I can either call (which I am in the midst of doing) ior visit an office, which would be even more time-consuming. This is very frustrating!
L.A.
Hi, Paul. We are sorry to hear about your experience. Unfortunately, but for your security, we do not have access to private information in this venue.
If you still need to verify your address, you can verify your address using your personal my Social Security account or you can continue to work with your local Social Security office. We hope this is resolved soon.