telephone scams
Social Security Cards Are Safer at Home
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Scams to steal your personal information are at an all-time high. It’s important to continue to safeguard personal documents such as your Social Security card. A Social Security card is not an identification document. In many situations, you only need to know your Social Security number (SSN). Your physical card is not necessary for most […]
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Slam the Scam: Keep Your Personal Information Safe
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Do you know how to spot a government imposter scam? Knowing how to identify potential scammers will help safeguard your personal information. There are common elements to many of these scams. Scammers often exploit fears and threaten you with arrest or legal action. Scammers also pose as Social Security or other government employees and claim […]
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Social Security and OIG Hold Annual Slam the Scam Day
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Social Security scams are an ongoing government imposter fraud scheme. We continue to raise public awareness about Social Security imposter scams during the fourth annual “Slam the Scam” Day on March 9. For several years, Social Security impersonation scams have been one of the most common government imposter scams reported to the Federal Trade Commission. […]
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How We Protect You from Misleading Advertising and Communications
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At the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), we work together with Social Security to protect you from scams that use Social Security as bait. Section 1140 of the Social Security Act allows OIG to impose penalties against anyone who engages in misleading Social Security-related advertising or imposter communications. For example, we may impose a […]
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10 Ways to Protect Your Personal Information
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Identity theft affects millions of people each year and can cause serious harm. Protect yourself by securing your personal information, understanding the threat of identity theft, and exercising caution. Here are 10 things you can start doing now to protect yourself and your loved ones from identity theft: Protect your Social Security number by […]
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World Elder Abuse Awareness Day: Advancing Equity
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World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) serves as a reminder about the factors surrounding abuse and neglect of older persons. The pandemic highlighted the disproportionate impact of tragedy on underserved communities, including seniors, who faced high rates of elder abuse, fraud, and nursing homes deaths. Fraud One recent report from the Federal Bureau of Investigation […]
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Federal Law Enforcement Agencies Warn of Impersonation Scam Involving Credentials and Badges
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New reports show that scammers are reviving an old tactic to gain your trust. Scammers are emailing and texting pictures of real and doctored law enforcement credentials and badges in an attempt to ‘prove’ they are legitimate to scam people out of money. Scammers may change the picture or use a different name, agency, or […]
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Use These Scam Tools to Spot Fraud
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On March 10, we held our annual National Slam the Scam Day to raise awareness of Social Security-related scams and other government imposter scams. In case you missed it, here are our top tools and resources for this year: Check out our Fraud Prevention and Reporting page to learn about Social Security fraud – and […]
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Slam the Scam: How to Spot Government Imposters
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Do you know how to spot a government imposter scam? That’s the question we’re asking as part of our annual Slam the Scam Day on Thursday, March 10, 2022. Scammers continue to evolve and find new ways to steal your money and personal information. On Slam the Scam Day and throughout the year, we raise […]
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National Slam the Scam Day Approaching on March 10
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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 […]
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