Social Security scams are becoming more common in the United States. Scammers are constantly looking for ways to trick people into giving them personal information or money. If you ever get a letter, text, email, or call that seems suspicious, it’s important not to respond.
What Social Security Will Never Do
The Social Security Administration (SSA) wants to make sure everyone knows how to spot a scam. Here are some things the SSA will never do:
- Send you images of an employee’s ID: Social Security will never email or text you a picture of an employee’s ID.
- Suspend your Social Security number: We will never threaten to suspend your Social Security number unless you pay a fine right away.
- Threaten legal action: If you get a message saying you’ll be arrested or face legal action unless you pay money immediately, it’s a scam.
- Ask for payments via gift cards or wire transfers: Social Security does not ask for payments through gift cards, wire transfers, or cash sent by mail.
- Promise a benefit increase for payment: No one from Social Security will ever promise a benefit increase in exchange for money.
- Send official letters with personal details: Be careful of any letter or email claiming to be from Social Security that contains your personal information.
How Social Security Communicates
The SSA only sends text messages in special cases, such as:
- Text updates you subscribe to: If you signed up to receive notifications or updates, you may get a text message.
- Security messages for your Social Security account: If you access your personal account, you might get a text for security reasons.
If you owe Social Security money, we will always send you a letter. This letter will explain how you can make a payment and tell you about your rights to appeal. Generally, the SSA contacts people by phone only when they have recently applied for benefits or are already receiving them and need to update information.
If there’s a problem with your Social Security number or record, we usually send a letter by mail to inform you. Social Security doesn’t typically make phone calls unless you’ve specifically asked for one or are already receiving benefits and need an update.
How to Protect Yourself
Scammers may pretend to be from the Social Security Administration to trick you. They might use urgent language to make you feel scared or pressured into paying money. Don’t fall for it. Here’s what you can do:
- Don’t share personal details: Never give out your Social Security number, banking information, or credit card details over the phone or online unless you are sure you are dealing with a trusted source.
- Hang up if unsure: If someone calls you saying they are from the SSA, hang up and call the official Social Security phone number to check if the call was legitimate.
- Look out for strange emails or texts: Be careful of emails or texts that ask for personal details or payments. These may be scams.
Report Suspicious Activity
If you believe you have been contacted by a scammer, it’s important to report it to the Social Security Office of the Inspector General (OIG). You can report fraud online at oig.ssa.gov/report. The more people report scams, the better we can protect others from falling victim.
For more information about how to avoid scams and protect your personal information, visit the official SSA website at www.ssa.gov/scam.
Share This Information
We encourage you to share this information with your friends, family, and colleagues to help them stay safe from Social Security scams. Scammers target everyone, so spreading the word can make a big difference in stopping fraud.
(Source : dailypress.net)
