The crooks are out in full force again. Much like the IRS scam going around last year, this one involves those impersonating a Social Security Administration (SSA) representative.
These callers are impersonating an official from the SSA, making harassing calls similar to the annoying fake Internal Revenue Service (IRS) calls.
According to freep.com, the AARP Fraud Watch Network now has had more complaints to its helpline in the past few months from consumers targeted by Social Security impostors than the old IRS scam, according to Amy Nofziger, AARP fraud expert.
The IRS impostor scam — which began heating up in late 2013 — enabled scammers to steal more than $73.6 million from 14,958 victims over time through late November 2018, according to the office of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
Nearly half of all calls to mobile phones are expected to be fraudulent in one way or another in 2019, according to First Orion, a provider of phone call and data transparency solutions.
Now, retirees and others need to be aware that fake phone calls could be from someone pretending to be from Social Security, too.
Scammers are getting ahead for two reasons — technology and tactics.
Crooks have the ability to spoof caller IDs to make it look like you’re being contacted by a legitimate source. In addition, they have access to robocall technology to make millions of calls. They can just keep calling and calling until they get someone to pay up or hand over personal information.
In the Social Security scam, they’re spoofing the 800 number for the Social Security Administration.
In some cases, con artists have demanded that the consumer put hundreds of dollars on gift cards in order to obtain a new Medicare card, which is free.
In other cases, crooks suggest that somehow you’re going to lose Social Security benefits and demand personal information in order to keep those benefits.
These scammers know how to take advantage of vulnerable citizens.
Seniors may face memory problems or feel uncertain about their abilities to handle important things, like taxes or Social Security. Fear plays a big role in many pitches.
Everyone — ranging from college students to retirees — can be tricked into thinking that somehow they made some big mistake with their taxes.
The criminals may threaten arrest or deportation or to revoke their driver’s license if they don’t get payment.
About 63 million Americans received $1 trillion in Social Security benefits in 2018.
Among the elderly receiving benefits, Social Security represents half or more of the monthly income of 48 percent of married couples and 69 percent of unmarried persons.
For some retirees, the Social Security check is the main source of monthly income.
Some clues to the Social Security scams:
Sometimes, the number on your caller ID can show up as (800) 772-1213. It’s a legitimate number but that doesn’t mean the call isn’t from a scammer.
If someone asks for information in order to make sure that you get a bigger Social Security check each month, it’s a fraud.
Social Security isn’t going to call and threaten that your benefits will be terminated.
Some callers claim that the Social Security computers are down and they need you to help to provide some information. A huge red flag — Social Security already has your Social Security number and won’t be calling to ask you to hand over that number to them.
If you receive a suspicious call from someone alleging to be from the Social Security Administration (SSA), you should report that information to the Office of the Inspector General for Social Security at (800) 269-0271 for the Social Security fraud hotline. Or you can make a fraud report online at oig.ssa.gov/report.
SSA provides scam examples
According to the SSA, another scam used an email that was designed to look like it came from Social Security. It provided information about the annual cost-of-living-adjustment and directed readers to a website designed to look like Social Security’s site so people could “update their information” — valuable information to identity thieves and criminals.
“In an effort to combat such scams, we want to make one thing perfectly clear. Social Security will not send you an email asking you to give us your personal information, such as your Social Security number, date of birth, or other private information. If someone saying they are from Social Security does email you requesting information, don’t respond to the message.
“Social Security and the Office of Inspector General (OIG) take these scams very seriously. We do everything we can to stop the perpetrators and educate the public,” according to the SSA website.
You will always receive prior notification from SSA by mail or telephone before a personal visit is made. The Federal Bureau of Investigation offers a significant amount of information on Scams and Safety. Their website is www.fbi.gov/scams-safety.
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