Social Security is Taking Action to Prevent Scam Calls
Reading Time: 1 MinuteLast Updated: March 6, 2020
Social Security phone scams are the number one type of fraud reported to the Federal Trade Commission. Callers claim that you have a problem with your Social Security number or benefits and demand immediate payment from you to avoid arrest or other legal action.
We recently announced two landmark civil complaints, filed by the Department of Justice in the Eastern District of New York, seeking injunctions against five telecommunications companies and their owners. The complaints allege the companies and their owners have, for years, knowingly facilitated government imposter telephone scams. The Department of Justice issued a news release about the filing and request for court orders, and held a press call with U.S. Attorney Richard Donaghue, Inspector General Gail S. Ennis, and Chief Postal Inspector Gary Barksdale.
If granted, the court orders will prevent the five enjoined companies from continuing to allow “the delivery of millions of fraudulent ‘robocalls’ every day from foreign call centers to the U.S. telecommunications system.”
You can read the entire press release at oig.ssa.gov/newsroom/news-releases/inspector-general-announces-civil-action-prevent-social-security-scam-calls
If you receive a call or email about a problem with your Social Security number or account that you believe to be suspicious, hang up or do not respond. We encourage you to report Social Security phone scams using our dedicated online form at https://oig.ssa.gov. Please share this information with your friends and family to help them learn how to protect themselves from phone scams. For more information, please visit https://oig.ssa.gov/scam.
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Tags: fraud, Inspector General, Office of the Inspector General, social security
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Tracy Lynge, Communications Director for the Office of the Inspector General
About Tracy Lynge, Communications Director for the Office of the Inspector General
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Florence M.
I believe I have received about a half dozen phone calls from someone saying that they were with the Socical Security Dept. and that my Social Security Number had been suspended. My land line phone will pick up and identify the phone calls which of course, I have never answered. Just saying……
Carol
I got the same message on my cell phone yesterday. Gave a number to call for the “Social Security Administration”, 513-823-2375. Yeh, right.
Rosa A.
Los ciudadanos que vivimos fuera de USA. Tenemos que tener el derecho de. tener una cuenta de My Social Security. Está sería la forma más rápida de poder estar al día en todo lo que está ocurriendo mientras estamos esperando nuestros pagos también de informar los cambios. La embajada que nos corresponde para hacer nuestros trámites tienen demasiado trabajo y la mayoría de las veces nunca recibimos respuestas a nuestros correos. Llamas por teléfono y sólo escuchamos la grabación que a veces no encajas en ninguna categoría. Y por lo tanto nunca puedes obtener una cita. Y ahí estamos esperando sin obtener respuesta alguna. Lo digo por experiencia una amiga aplicó a su retiro en junio 2019 y hasta la fecha no ha obtenido ninguna respuesta. Escribe cada 2 semana y Costa Rica nunca contesta.
ZITA C.
A few days ago we had a “Slam The Scam” day, if you recall. Well, I’ve been slamming this and other scams in the simplest way there is—I have a phone with a built-in voicemail, and I recorded an outgoing message that results in at least 95% of those abominable creatures hanging up, often mumbling all kinds of imprecations and invectives! Peace, it’s wonderful.
Robert S.
I got tired of them calling, so I told them that I would contact my Congress Representative and my US Senators and let them take care of it.
The caller hung up on me!
shena h.
I have recently been notified that I had a warrant n was going to be arrested by the social security administration if I did not call a 800 number in 24 hours . That was over a week ago. I know better n try to educate myself on scammers but the elderly that live alone n have no one this would scare them into doing what these assholes want them to do. This has got to STOP !! U R THE DAMN GOVERNMENT!! U HAVE THE POWER TO STOP THIS !! SO STOP IT !! THANK U
D L.
Yes; Too little too late. There should have been a retaliation especially against the ones from Africa and mostly from Nigeria. The military should have knocked them out a long time ago they have the tecbut for some reason the govt doesn’t want to do it because they are affraid of critisism from the public. This is a war and the sooner it is realized the sooner the problem solved.
Jim W.
I would like to know why people overseas can’t have a SS account. SS is the only government account to my knowledge that will not allow people who live outside the U.S. a account. There must be a way to allow us to have a account through the Embassy. They can have us report yearly that we are still alive. I think the present way that you have is predigest and maybe unconstitutional. I have ask this question before but have never received a answer. V/r
K.O.
Hi Jim. At this time you must have a U. S. mailing address to create or access your online account. The “my Social Security” authentication system requires address verification as one of the essential criteria for issuing an account. People with APO/FPO/DPO addresses can create an account overseas, but our system does not support registration and account creation for users with a foreign address yet.
Anderson I.
I have been a very busy couple days but it seems like it was just for the
Michael
I’m glad you are taking action, although it’s too little, too late. Given how much has already been stolen from American seniors, much more money and time should be invested in these prosecutions.
Sheilacrumm
I’m not sure what is going on with my ssa being denied all the time but I feel there is some kind of I’d entity theft. Because my mom got it on me when I was young I didn’t know tell a few years ago but I moved out of my mom’s house when I was 15 went to Missouri I applied for ssa at 18 they didn’t have any of my info in Missouri so they denied me I have never in my life ever received ssa for my self or anyone else
Jennifer
Are you sure you weren’t on SSI instead? Do you have a disability? The rules change after 18 and the way they determine disability is different for children and adults.
k e.
Spring terrace apts I was put in to rent 1. One night I was asleep I suffered from exhaustion/tired/weakness
2. I woke up and noticed some one was opening the door and some ones head looking in I got up and they took off/ran off I closed the door and locked it with thee regular lock some staff at this place working had to have opened the door here at the office with computer in the office at front desk but without my consent 3. I got me a extra lock to put on my door and lock from the inside to try to protect me from harm 4. Onenight before I got the extra lock put on a few people (looks like females) came into my apt while asleep and hit me many times and ran out the door and left
Again it had to have been the staff working here at apts at desk who opened the door of apt with computer and let them in the apt to attack me it seems/appears that way and later some one looks like maybe a black guy/male came in and hit me looks like a hammer in his hand he may not be black he had on some type of hat so it was hard to tell for sure but I thought I saw some black skin on him just a short fast look just I passed back out sleeping and later once here I woke up and two (looked like white males) young(looked like over 18yrs old means adults) not real old were setting by my bed close to ground and looking at my butt/ass/ anus I looked at them and was wondering what they were doing (I think they may have cut my or into my ass/butt/anus but not sure if they did just may feel that way because I am sure the medicine from psychiatry did cause the problems with ass/butt inside to including bleeding but cannot figure out why they were looking at my butt/anus I was so tired and exhausted and weak and passed out again finally I got a extra lock for my door for me to try to protect me from harm at night when asleep 5. Again I feel staff had to have opened the door to apt of mine for them to get into the apt here at spring terrace apts without my consent 6. I feel in-dangered here and in Austin texas also state of texas also I feel in-dangered here in these spring terrace apts 7. Some times I feel there may be problems either over the Iraq/iran was or there may be satan worship going on here in Austin texas and here at the apts here spring terrace apts when this stuff happened here once even I first got here and left my second floor apt window open here cause it was so hot and two people climbed in and I was just waking up to go to the bathroom to urinate I spotted them climbing into the window and I pretended to sleep and let them think so they climbed in and went straight to the door and left out my front door thank god they did not hurt me I waited a few minutes and got up and locked my apt door back up that Is why I got a extra lock for my door here at spring terrace apts
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