Social Security Administration Updates Warning for Social Security Phone Scams

The Inspector General for the Social Security Administration (SSA) is again warning the public about widespread Social Security-related telephone scams that may use sophisticated tactics to deceive them into providing sensitive information or money.

The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has recently received reports of telephone scammers using real SSA and OIG officials' names - many of which are publicly available on our websites or through an online search. Other common tactics to lend legitimacy to scams are citing "badge numbers" of law enforcement officers, sending email attachments containing personal information about an "investigation," or texting links to click on and "learn more" about a Social Security-related problem.

The Inspector General advises that Social Security will never:

• suspend one' Social Security number because someone else has used it in a crime;
• threaten one with arrest or other legal action unless he/she immediately pay a fine or fee;
• require payment by retail gift card, wire transfer, internet currency, or mailing cash;
• promise a benefit increase or other assistance in exchange for payment; or
• send official letters or reports containing one's personal information via email.

If one owes money to Social Security, the agency will mail a letter with payment options and appeal rights. If one receives a letter, text, call or email that he/she believe to be suspicious, about an alleged problem with your Social Security number, account, or payments, he/she is requested to hang up or otherwise not respond.

Interested persons are encouraged to report Social Security scams - or other Social Security fraud - via the agency's website, https://oig.ssa.gov. One may also read all previous SSA OIG fraud advisories on the website. Interested persons are also encouraged to share this information with your friends and family, to help spread awareness about Social Security scams.