SCAMS BULLETIN Host Jay White is a volunteer attorney who provides free legal services for low income seniors in San Mateo County, California.

July 27, 2019

SOCIAL SECURITY SCAMS

Reported by Federal Trade Commission.

Scammers are calling, pretending to be from the Social Security Administration (SSA) and saying that your Social Security number (SSN) has been suspended because of suspicious activity or being involved in a crime. Sometimes, the scammer wants you to confirm your SSN to reactivate it or will ask for money or gift cards to keep your SSN or bank account safe.

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 you or your benefits. And SSA will not tell you to wire money, send cash, or put money on gift cards. Anyone who tells you to do those things is a scammer.

Don’t trust what you see on caller ID.

Scammers can make it look like they’re calling from anywhere they wish– even a real SSA phone number.

Never give any part of your Social Security number to anyone who contacts you out of the blue.  The same for your bank account or credit card number.

Real SSA staff do call people who have ongoing business with the agency. But they’ll never threaten you, or ask you to send money.

Has your SSN been exposed or misused? Here’s what you can do:

File a report at ftc.gov/complaint.

 More information log onto FTC IdentityTheft.

                                    #