• April 29, 2019

Social Security Phone Call Scam

Social Security Phone Call Scam

Social Security Phone Call Scam 150 150 Consumer & Business

The Scam

You receive a phone call from someone claiming to be a representative of the Social Security Administration, saying your social security number has been suspended. You are asked to press 1 to be connected to a representative, or to call a specific phone number, where you will be asked to provide personal information and make a payment to reactivate your social security number.    

The Truth

Scammers are using these phone calls as a way to get your personal information to commit fraud and identity theft, and to get your money in the form of giftcards and wire transfers. Never give out your personal information over the phone to someone you don’t know, until you have verified the source. You can always hang up and call the source directly.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recommends the following:

If you aren’t sure if a government communication (call, text, email or letter) is fraudulent, contact your local Social Security office or call Social Security’s toll-free customer service number at 1-800-772-1213 to verify its legitimacy. Callers who are deaf or hard of hearing can call Social Security’s TTY number at 1-800-325-0778.

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