With millions of Americans receiving Social Security benefits – whether it’s retirement, disability, or others – fraudsters have found impersonating the Social Security Administration (SSA) to be a lucrative scam. With the countless methods of communication in today’s day and age, it can be challenging to distinguish between legitimate messages and those from scammers. Whether you or someone you know currently receives Social Security benefits, or will one day soon – understanding the different Social Security scams and how to spot them is a powerful tool in protecting yourself and those you love.
What are Social Security Scams?
Social Security scams involve a fraudster impersonating Social Security employees to obtain personal or financial information. They will say there is a problem with your benefits and pressure you to take immediate action to resolve it, whether that is handing over your Social Security Number or providing payment in a specific form – such as gift cards or cryptocurrency.
It’s important to note that anyone who contacts you first and asks for a form of payment to resolve a personal or financial issue, especially when they are requesting gift cards or crypto (methods of payment that are nearly impossible to trace) – is always a scam.
What Does a Social Security Scam Look Like?
Scammers frequently change their tactics and messages to make themselves harder to spot, and easier to obtain the information they need to defraud you. Scammers impersonating Social Security personnel may attempt to contact you via phone, email, text message, or social media direct messages. The SSA is known to contact the public only by telephone call or direct postal mail, and will never text you or send you a message on social media. Below are common Social Security scams, based on mode of delivery.
- Phone Calls: Scam phone calls will involve a robotic voice, pretending to be from the SSA and will demand personal or financial information. The nature of these phone calls is often threatening, with pressure to take immediate action to resolve the issue or provide personal information. The SSA would never take a threatening tone with recipients of phone calls and if you receive this type of call, it’s a telltale sign that the call is fraudulent. Additionally, the scammer will often demand secrecy and ask that you don’t share the details of the call with those you trust. Lastly, if your caller ID shows the Social Security hotline number – that does not necessarily mean you are on the phone with a SSA employee. Scammers can spoof their phone number to make it look like the Social Security Administration on your caller ID.
- Emails: Scammers have been known to send emails with attachments that resemble official letters from the SSA or contain links to fake websites that looks like the Social Security Administration website. Within such an email – you will be prompted to enter your sensitive information into an online form that does not belong to the SSA, or click on a link that will download malware or a virus onto your device – which the scammer will use to steal your sensitive information.
- Text Messages: Social Security scam texts will often say there is a problem with your Social Security Number and will provide a call back number to resolve the issue. When you return the call, you will be on the phone with a scammer who will try to take your personal or financial information. There are very few instances in which you would receive a text from the SSA, which can be found here. In those cases, the SSA will never ask that you return a call to an unknown number – especially one that is not associated with the Social Security Administration.
- Social Media Direct Messages: Fraudsters have been known to create fake social media accounts pretending to be the SSA. They will then use those accounts to send direct messages asking for your personal or financial information. Once again, the SSA will never contact you through social media. These fake accounts will often have few followers, incorrect punctuation or spelling, and link to pages, forms, or documents that are not associated with the SSA. Visit ssa.gov/socialmedia for a directory of the social media channels the SSA uses for public information.
Stay Vigilant to Social Security Scams
The SSA will never demand that you share your personal information, such as your Social Security Number or bank account details, by contacting you out of the blue or in ways that are not secure. Additionally, Social Security employees will never demand payment, threaten arrest or legal action, or freeze your bank account or other assets if you refuse to divulge your personal information.
If you have received a suspicious communication or are worried you have fallen victim to a Social Security scam, you can report it to the Office of the Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov/report. It can also be reported to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
First Financial wants to help you safeguard your personal and financial information from fraudsters. If you are ever concerned that your First Financial accounts have been compromised, don’t hesitate to call us at 732.312.1500 or visit your local branch.
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