Scams have become an unfortunate part of our society. You probably know someone who has gotten a call from a Social Security impersonator.
The U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) is warning people about protecting their information. In the past year, SSA has posted a series of blogs about how beneficiaries can protect their information from scammers and what to do when they receive a “spoof” call. Additionally, SSA has teamed up with other government agencies to develop educational tools that would help our citizens spot these schemes and avoid becoming victims.
These are some things to remember: Talk about it! Social Security scams haven’t been as common until recently. Share the message with others to make them aware of this type of scam.
Government employees will not threaten to take away benefits or ask for money or personal information to protect your Social Security card or benefits.
Recently, SSA has worked with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission to create a new fraud prevention placemat to help people avoid Social Security scams. You can order free copies of the placemat to use at dining venues, or to share with friends and family.
The placemat is in English on one side and Spanish on the other side. Report Social Security scams to the SSA Office of Inspector General Fraud Hotline at (800) 269-0271 or oig.ssa.gov/report and to the Federal Trade Commission at FTC.gov/complaint.
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