The Social Security Association scam is now growing exponentially. To compare: in 2017, the FTC heard from 3,200 people about SSA imposter scams, and those people reported losing nearly $210,000. So far THIS year: more than 35,000 people have reported the scam, and have lost almost $10 million.
The Manitowoc Police Department recently posted to their social media about a number of complaints they have been recieving about fake calls that are claiming to be coming from the Social Security office.
In some instances scammers call claiming to be with the SSA and spoofing the real SSA phone number (1-800-772-1213) in the call ID information. They claim that your Social Security number (SSN) has been suspended because of suspicious activity, or because it’s been involved in a crime. Sometimes, the scammer wants you to confirm your SSN to reactivate it. Sometimes, he’ll say your bank account is about to be seized – but he’ll tell you what to do to keep it safe. (Often, that involves putting your money on gift cards and giving him the codes – which, of course, means that your money is gone.)
Here’s what to know:
- Your Social Security number is not about to be suspended. You don’t have to verify your number to anyone who calls out of the blue. And your bank accounts are not about to be seized. SSA will never call to threaten your benefits or tell you to wire money, send cash, or put money on gift cards. Anyone who tells you to do those things is a scammer.
- If you’re worried about what the caller says, hang up and call 1-800-772-1213 to speak to the real SSA. Even if the wait time is long, confirm with the real SSA before responding to one of these calls.
- Never give any part of your Social Security number to anyone who contacts you.
Below is an example of a robocall that has been circulating.
