Have you received any phone call about problems with your Social Security number, supposedly from the Social Security Administration recently? If yes, you’re one of the many. Because the so called SSA scam has swelled.
The scenario is usually the same. Your phone rings. And according to your caller ID it’s someone from the Social Security Administration (SSA) who’s calling. The caller says they work for the Social Security Administration and need your personal information (for example your Social Security number). If you don’t give away your personal information, they threaten to cut off your benefits.
As you probably know by now, yes, this is a scam. And a very popular one.
–> Read also: Top 5 phone scams that Americans fall for
According to numbers, the SSA scam has become the new IRS scam recently. Not only reports of SSA imposters are on the rise, but people also lost more money to SSA scam in 2018 than they did to IRS scam in 2016, the peak year of the IRS scam. According to the Federal Trade Commission, Americans lost more than $19 million to SSA imposters in the past year!
How to tell the SSA scam from a legitimate call
How to spot SSA scammers? Rule number one: when you receive a threatening call, supposedly from the SSA, don’t panic. Just make sure to follow these steps.
- Even though you see the SSA’s number on your caller ID, it’s not necessarily the real SSA who’s calling. Scammers that are “spoofing” the SSA’s number can call from anywhere, but they make your caller ID show a different number.
- The real SSA will never threaten you for information. They will never promise any benefits in exchange for information, either.
- If you have any doubt, hang up and call SSA directly.
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