telephone scams

How We Protect You from Misleading Advertising and Communications

February 23, 2023 • By

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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

February 2, 2023 • By

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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

June 15, 2022 • By

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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

June 7, 2022 • By

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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

March 17, 2022 • By

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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

March 9, 2022 • By

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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

March 3, 2022 • By

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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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10 Ways to Protect Your Personal Information

August 19, 2021 • By

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Fraudsters don’t go on vacation—so it’s necessary for you and your loved ones to stay vigilant year round. Identity theft affects millions of people each year and can cause serious financial and identity-related issues. Protect yourself by securing your personal information, understanding the threat of identity theft, and exercising caution. We have a list of […]

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SSA Inspector General: New Tactics for Government Imposters

April 27, 2021 • By

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Last month, we partnered with our Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the annual National “Slam the Scam” Day to help you learn how to identify and avoid government imposter scams. These scams are widespread across the United States and often involve Social Security number-related issues. Scammers’ tactics continue to evolve. Most recently, the OIG […]

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Top 5 Scam Resources You Need To Know

March 16, 2021 • By

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Earlier this month, we hosted our second annual National “Slam the Scam” Day to raise awareness of government imposter telephone scams. In case you missed anything, we put together a list of the five most important scam resources you should know about: Read our fact sheet Beware of Social Security Phone Scams to learn how […]

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