Do Social Security Call You

What Are 3 Things You Should Do If You Learn Your Identity Has Been Stolen Or Compromised

How To Protect Yourself From This Scam

• Do hang up if someone calls you out of the blue and claims to be from SSA.
• Do be skeptical if a caller claims to be from Social Security’s Office of the Inspector General. Scammers appropriate official-sounding and often actual government titles to make a ruse seem authentic.
• Do set up a My Social Security account online and check it on a monthly basis for signs of anything unusual, even if you have not yet started collecting benefits.
• Do install a robocall-blocking app on your smartphone, or sign up for a robocall-blocking service from your mobile network provider.

• Dont call a phone number left on your voice mail by a robocaller or listed in a suspicious email or text. If you want to contact SSA, call the customer-service line at 800-772-1213.
• Dont assume a call is legitimate because it appears to come from 800-772-1213. Scammers use spoofing technology to trick caller ID.
• Dont give your Social Security number or other personal information to someone who contacts you by email. SSA never requests information that way.
• Dont click links in purported SSA emails without checking them. Mouse over the link to reveal the actual destination address. The main part of the address should end with .gov/ including the forward slash. If theres anything between .gov and the slash, its fake.

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Get Ssa Benefits While Living Abroad

U.S. citizens can travel to or live in most, but not all, foreign countries and still receive their Social Security benefits. You can find out if you can receive benefits overseas by using the Social Security Administrations payment verification tool. Once you access the tool, pick the country you’re visiting or living in from the drop-down menu options.

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How To Know If A Social Security Phone Call Is A Scam

These days, you have to think twice about every text, email, and phone call. Is it legitimate, or is it a scammer trying to trick you?

Phone calls from governmental entities like Social Security can be extra challenging. Is your Social Security number really going to be suspended? Are you actually in danger of legal action?

Hereâs how to know if a phone call, supposedly from Social Security, is a scam.

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Protect Yourself From Social Security Number Spoofing Scams

View a video from the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General on how to prevent fraud. Also, read a recent Social Security blog post: IG Warns Public About Caller ID ‘Spoofing’ of Social Security Fraud Hotline Phone Number

Voicemail – Social Security Scam Audio

Audio transcript: This is the SSN department. My name is Officer Katherine Richardson and this call is regarding to your Social Security Number. Weve found some fraudulent activities under your name. To know more information please call us back on this number: 660-XXXX. I repeat 660-XXXX Thank you.

Nearly all of your financial and medical records are connected to your Social Security number, which is why data thieves are constantly trying to nab it for use in fraud schemes or for selling it illicitly.

Robocall scammers use spoofing to deliberately falsify the caller ID that appears on your phone, disguising their identities in attempts to steal your Social Security number and other valuable personal information.

Often the scammers spoof a Social Security Administration phone number so you’ll think it’s the agency calling. SSA blog posts alert consumers to this spoofing scam and new twists phone scammers use to convince consumers they’re legit.

There are simple steps you can take to avoid becoming a victim of a spoofing scam. Follow the helpful tips in the FCC’s consumer guide on spoofing, such as:

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What Is A Social Security Card

Your Social Security card is an important piece of identification. You’ll need one to get a job, collect Social Security, or receive other government benefits.

When you apply for a Social Security number , the Social Security Administration will assign you a nine-digit number. This is the same number that is printed on the Social Security card that SSA will issue you. If you change your name, you will need to get a corrected card.

The Social Security Administration Warns People To Look Out For Scammers Spoofing The Social Security Fraud Hotline Phone Number

The Inspector General of Social Security has warned people about a caller-ID spoofing scam that makes phone calls look like they are coming from the Fraud Hotline number of 269-0271. This is a scam. Social Security and the Office of the Inspector General employees do not make calls from the Fraud Hotline number. Do not answer these calls or give any information to the caller.

The scammers will lie or make threats to ask for personal information or money. They may ask for your Social Security Number, or they may ask for gift cards or prepaid debit cards. Callers may say they are from a legal department, or say that your Social Security number is involved in fraud. Scammers may also threaten to have you arrested.

SSA and OIG employees do not contact you from the Hotline for official purposes. If an SSA or OIG employee does call, the number will not be the Fraud Hotline number. SSA and OIG employees will never threaten you for information.

If you get a call from the Fraud Hotline number of 269-0271, do not answer and do not give the caller any of your information. Report the call to the OIG online at or call 269-0271.

Equip for Equality protects Social Security Beneficiaries. Equip for Equality staff will always clearly identify themselves when calling a payee, a Social Security Beneficiary or other person. Equip for Equality never calls from the SSA Fraud Hotline number.

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Why Am I Getting Calls Saying My Social Security Number Being Suspended

The reason of this call is to inform you that your Social Security number has been suspended for suspicion of illegal activity. … They state there is a problem with your Social Security number or account. They claim there has been suspicious or fraudulent activity and you could be arrested or face other legal action.

Getting A Social Security Number For A New Baby

The easiest way to get a Social Security number for your child is at the hospital after they are born when you apply for your childs birth certificate. If you wait to apply for a number at a Social Security office, there may be delays while SSA verifies your childs birth certificate.

Your child will need their own Social Security number so you can:

• Claim your child as a dependent on your income tax return
• Open a bank account in their name
• Get medical coverage for them
• Apply for government services for them

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How To Protect Yourself From Social Security Fraud

As with all scams, the best way to avoid becoming a victim is to stay vigilant. If you receive a phone call asking for your Social Security number or other personal information, its best to hang up immediately. You may also want to consider adding the callers phone number to a blocked-call list to help prevent repeated nuisance calls.

Be aware, however, that spoofing allows scammers to use a succession of misleading numbers. So, unfortunately, blocking the first number that called you doesn’t stop further calls from different phone numbers.

Be sure that your information, including your Social Security card, is stored securely. Shred any documents with sensitive information rather than just putting them in the trash. If you access Social Security information online, keep your password to yourself and change it regularly to minimize the likelihood of your account being hacked.

It’s also worth checking your credit reports on a regular basis to make sure no one has compromised your financial information. A paid might also be helpful. Finally, try to keep up to date with the latest Social Security scams. The SSAs Office of the Inspector General monitors these and issues warnings as new schemes arise.

Fraudulent Friendly Service Phone Calls

Another type of scam call attempts to sell services to the recipient that the SSA readily provides at no charge. The caller might, for example, offer to provide a new Social Security card, enroll a new family member in the program, or provide a record of Social Security contributions to date, along with the expected future income they will yield.

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Report Social Security Scam Calls

Social Security Administration and its Inspector General Announce New Online Reporting Form for Imposter Scam Calls

Andrew Saul, Commissioner of Social Security, and Gail S. Ennis, the Inspector General for the Social Security Administration, announce the launch of a dedicated online form at to receive reports from the public of Social Security-related scams. These scamsin which fraudulent callers mislead victims into making cash or gift card payments to avoid arrest for purported Social Security number problemsskyrocketed over the past year to become the #1 type of fraud reported to the Federal Trade Commission and the Social Security Administration.

To combat these scams, Social Security and the OIG will use the new online form to capture data that will be analyzed for trends and commonalities. The OIG will use the data to identify investigative leads, which could help identify criminal entities or individuals participating in or facilitating the scams. Ultimately, these efforts are expected to disrupt the scammers, help reduce this type of fraud, and reduce the number of victims.

“We are taking action to raise awareness and prevent scammers from harming Americans,” Commissioner Saul said. “I am deeply troubled that our country has not been able to stop these crooks from deceiving some of the most vulnerable members of our society.”

Social Security will not:

Classic Irs And Social Security Scams

Each year, theres a new spin on Social Security and IRS scams, but they tend to share some classic features.

Here are some oldies but baddies:

Threatening phone calls allegedly from Social Security or the IRS. If someone calls claiming to be from Social Security or the IRS, either dont answer or hang up. These agencies are unlikely to call you without sending a letter first, and they wont threaten you. Pro tip: It doesnt matter if your Caller ID shows the call is coming from a legit agency. Caller information can be spoofed.

Letters claiming to be from the IRS, Social Security or an agency youve never heard of. If you receive a letter claiming to be from the IRS or Social Security, you need to confirm its legitimacy. Do not use websites or phone numbers listed on the letter to investigate. Instead, type the websites for those agencies directly into your web browser to find their official phone numbers. If the letter you received is real, theyll confirm it. If you receive anything about taxes from a company other than the IRS, be wary. The IRS handles your taxes.

Emails claiming to be from the IRS or Social Security demanding anything. If these agencies need to contact you about something important, they will send a letter instead. If you receive a suspicious phone call, letter or email claiming to be from Social Security, report it at OIG.SSA.gov/Report.

If you receive a suspect call or email claiming to be from the IRS or a related agency, report it to .

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Medicare And Social Security Scams

Minnesota senior citizens report being targeted by a new scam: fraudulent operators who pretend to be calling about Medicare, Social Security, or supplemental insurance, but whose actual purpose is to trick seniors into disclosing their private financial information. Disclosure of such information can lead to identity theft or unauthorized withdrawals from a personâs bank account. Consider the following to help prevent this scam from happening to you, or someone you care about.

Avoiding Ssa Scams During Covid

Jim Kreidler

Consumer Education Specialist, FTC

While some of you are home, practicing social distancing and frequent hand washing to avoid the Coronavirus, remember that scammers are still busy trying to take advantage of people. Some scammers are pretending to be from the Social Security Administration and trying to get your Social Security number or your money.

Heres what to know:

• Do not trust caller ID. Scam calls may show up on caller ID as the Social Security Administration and look like the agencys real number, but its not the SSA calling.
• Your Social Security number is not about to be suspended. And your bank accounts are not about to be seized.
• Dont verify your Social Security number or any other personal information to anyone who calls out of the blue. If you already did, visit IdentityTheft.gov/SSA to find out what steps you can take to protect your credit and your identity.
• 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. Every time.
• Talk about it. If youre getting these calls, chances are your friends and family are too. Please talk with them about it.
• People who know about scams are much less likely to fall for them. So by discussing them you are helping protect people you care for and people in your community.

Check out this video for more information on Social Security scams.

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Report The Death Of A Social Security Or Medicare Beneficiary

You must report the death of a family member receiving Social Security or Medicare benefits. The Social Security Administration processes death reports for both. Find out how you can report a death and how to cancel benefit payments. In addition to canceling SSA and Medicare benefits, find out what other benefits and accounts you should cancel.

How To Stop Social Security Check Payments

The SSA can not pay benefits for the month of a recipients death. That means if the person died in July, the check received in August must be returned. Find out how to return a check to the SSA.

If the payment is by direct deposit, notify the financial institution as soon as possible so it can return any payments received after death. For more about the requirement to return benefits for the month of a beneficiarys death, see the top of page 11 of this SSA publication.

Family members may be eligible for Social Security survivors benefits when a person getting benefits dies. Visit the SSA’s Survivors Benefits page to learn more.

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How To Avoid Getting Scammed

There are a few things that you should always do that can help you avoid falling for Social Security scam calls or emails. First, you should know that callers have the ability to spoof their phone number on your caller ID. Spoofing means that the number that appears on your caller ID is not their actual telephone number. They can make it appear that they are calling from a phone number associated with the Social Security Administration. With that in mind, here are a few tips.

The first tip is to immediately hang up on any suspicious calls. If you receive a call and someone starts asking about your Social Security account or Social Security benefits, then you should hang up. The Social Security Administration will not call you and ask for this type of information unless you have contacted them first and requested a call back. Thousands of these fake calls occur every day, so you cannot be afraid to simply hang up the phone on these scammers.

This most effective tip for avoiding these scams is simply staying vigilant and always being aware of suspicious activity. Know that most Social Security fraud comes from fake Social Security phone calls or emails. SSA employees, like most government employees at similar government agencies, will not call you unexpectedly. If you are unsure, then hang up the phone and call the Social Security Administration back. This way you can ensure that you are dialing the correct number and actually talking to someone there.

How To Get A Social Security Card

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Fraudulent Threatening Phone Calls

Bogus phone calls related to Social Security benefits are among the top scams. The calls often involve peopleor robotic voicespretending to be from the Social Security Administration who try to get your Social Security number or demand money, according to the Federal Trade Commission .

The agency warns that callers sometimes use spoofing techniques to make the genuine Social Security hotline number appear on the recipients caller ID screen. The caller may also identify themselves using the name of an actual SSA official.

The SSA says the language used in these calls has become increasingly threatening in recent years. The caller typically states that due to improper or illegal activity with the persons Social Security number or account, they will be arrested or face other legal action unless they call a particular phone number to address the issue.

The tone of such calls is itself an indicator that they are fraudulent. The SSA does contact some recipients by phone, but theyre almost always people who have current business with the agency. And an SSA employee will never threaten you for information they will not state that you face potential arrest or other legal action if you fail to provide information, the agency says. In cases the call is fraudulent.

Social Security Administration employees will never ask for personal information, such as your Social Security number or date of birth, over the phone or via email.