Lookout for Social Security scams

October 4, 2018

Recently, consumers have reported receiving unexpected scam calls telling them that their Social Security number has been compromised or has been suspended due to suspicious activities.  They also report being told that their benefits will be frozen until they call and fix the problem.  As part of the scam, consumers are asked to provide personal information such as their Social Security number. 

These Social Security imposter calls come on the heels of another popular imposter scam, where con artists pose as officials from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and demand a call back to resolve a supposed tax issue.

Be sure to follow these tips to avoid falling for the Social Security imposter scam:
 

• Never provide your personal information such as your Social Security number or bank account information over the telephone or internet unless you are certain the request is from a legitimate source and you are sure they are the ones asking for it.  In general though, the Social Security Administration and the IRS will not contact you via phone. 
• Whenever you are in doubt, contact the government agency at a phone number you know to be legitimate.  This will help you verify whether the request is legitimate or part of a common scam. Don’t simply call back using the Caller ID information, since scammers use spoofing technology to put whatever phone number they choose on your caller ID screen. To reach Social Security, you can call 800-772-1213. To reach the IRS, its legitimate phone number is 800-829-1040.
• Do not try to keep the Social Security scammer on the phone or otherwise engage the con artist. It is best to simply hang up and report the scam to the Office of the Inspector General of Social Security at 800-269-0271.