We have recently seen an uptick in scam telephone calls, and the Social Security Administration is not exempt from being targeted.
The most recent scam involves a caller claiming to be from the SSA who gives you a “warrant number” before asking for personal information, such as your date of birth, your mother’s maiden name, or your bank account information.
The caller may also tell you that your Social Security number (SSN) has been suspended and that they need additional information from you in order to reactivate it. However, SSNs do not get suspended. Therefore, this should be a red flag to you to hang up and not provide any additional information. You can always call the real SSA at (800) 772-1213 to confirm that they need to speak with you.
Some other tips to help protect yourself include:
- Do not give out or confirm personal information over the phone, via email, or online unless you have confirmed whoever is asking you for it;
- Do not trust a name, telephone number, or email address just because it seems to be connected to the government. Scammers can “spoof” this information to make you trust them.
- Contact government agencies directly, with telephone numbers and website addresses you know to be legitimate.
The government typically contacts people by the USPS mail, not via telephone or email.
This should serve as a reminder to all to be cautious before providing any personal and/or identifying information over the phone to a caller you do not recognize.