Protect and Disconnect!
Are you getting some spooky phone calls from someone saying they’re with the Social Security Administration? 9 times out of 10 these are scams. Find out all about these scams and what to do about them, this week on 65 and Counting!
(Intro)
[pretend phone call] What? You’re from the Social Security Administration? My Social Security number’s been linked to criminal activity and suspended? You want to confirm my social security number? OH NO! [Hang up phone] Sounds like a scam to me!
Today we’re going to be talking about those pesky and sometimes scary phone calls people are receiving from offices “claiming” to be the Social Security Administration!
If you only take one thing away from this episode, let it be this: Unless you have scheduled a phone call with a Social Security Representative, the SSA will NEVER call your phone! Almost all of their communication is going to come to you by regular old snail mail!
Why are criminals doing this? Well, stealing your Social Security number is the easiest way scammers can begin to commit identity theft! There’s no easier way to get one than to flat out pretend that you’re calling from Social Security and ask for it! It’s disgusting! And nice people are scared into giving out their Social Security number to these scammers every single day! And these scammers are good at it!
Government studies have shown that nearly half of all Americans were targeted by these phony campaigns in the final quarter of last year.
Typically the call will go something like this:
Your phone will ring and when you answer, the person on the other end will identify themselves as some sort of government official with Social Security and that your number has been linked to criminal activity and suspended. The REAL social security administration will NEVER call and say this to you. The scammers will then ask you to confirm your social security number so they can reactivate it for you (they’ll also probably ask you to pay a fee). The social security administration does not “suspend” numbers, ever.
Another popular method they’ll use is to call you with good news. They’ll say something like your benefits have increased due to cost of living and to get the extra payments you’ll have to confirm with your name, date of birth, and social security number. And with that information, they can even hijack your account and change things like your address and direct deposit information!
So what can you do? Well, the most important thing is DON’T give them any information, hang up your phone, and block the number! Don’t let these scammers intimate you either. It’s your right to hang up.
In fact, the social security administration has some tips regarding these fraud calls. These tips are right from Social Security website:
Don’t routinely carry your Social Security Card and never say your number out loud in public
- Beware of scams by email, text messages, internet links, and phone calls that ask you for personal information
- Create a My Social Security account online to help keep track of your records and identify suspicious activity
- Report any suspected fraud to the Social Security Administration!
The social security administration has a lot of great information and a tool to make reports right on their website and I’ll include a link of where to find that in the description of the episode! But here it is now, as well. WWW.SSA.GOV/ANTIFRAUDFACTS
I’m gonna say this one more time because it’s very, very important to remember that the social security administration will NEVER call without a scheduled appointment with one of their representatives!
I hope you found this information helpful today, and you feel comfortable hitting that “end call” button next time you suspect a scammer is calling you and trying to steal your identity!
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