Protect yourself from fake Social Security
phone call scams
SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
There are many telephone scams going on.
Scammers are trying to trick you into giving
them your personal information and money.
Don’t be fooled.
Scammers pretend they’re from the Social Se-
curity Administration. The number you see on
caller ID may even look like an official govern-
ment number, but it is not.
The caller may say there is a problem with your
Social Security number or account. They may ask
you to give them personal information, like your
Social Security number or bank account.
They may tell you to fix the problem, or to
avoid arrest, you must pay a fine or fee using re-
tail gift cards, pre-paid debit cards, wire trans-
fers, or cash.
These calls are not from the Social Security
Administration. The following facts will help
you protect yourself.
Social Security will not:
• Threaten you.
• Tell you that your Social Security number has
been, or might be, suspended.
• Call you to demand an immediate payment.
• Ask you for credit or debit card numbers over
the phone.
• Require a specific means of debt repayment,
like a pre-paid debit card, a retail gift card, or
cash.
• Demand that you pay a Social Security debt
SUBMISSIONS
without the ability to appeal the amount you
owe.
• Promise a Social Security benefit approval, or
increase, in exchange for information or money.
• Request personal or financial information
through email, text messages, or social media.
Social Security will:
• Sometimes call you to confirm you filed for
a claim, or to discuss other ongoing business you
have with them.
• Mail you a letter if there is a problem.
• Mail you a letter if you need to submit pay-
ments, that will have detailed information about
options to make payments, and the ability to ap-
peal the decision.
• Use emails, text messages, and social media
to provide general information (not personal or
financial information), on its programs and ser-
vices, if you have signed up to receive these mes-
sages.
If you receive a suspicious call from some-
one alleging to be from Social Security:
• Hang up right away.
• Never give your personal information, money,
or retail gift cards.
• Report the scam at oig.ssa.gov/ to Social Se-
curity’s law enforcement team at the Office of the
Inspector General (OIG).
Share this information with your family and
friends.
Senior Connections welcomes
submitted items of any kind that may be
appropriate for our readership. Contact
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Senior Connections HJ.COM
Senior
Connections March/April 2020
5