What to Watch Out For So You Don’t Become a Target of a Senior Citizen Scam
Despite all the warnings, older Americans continually fall victim to scam artists. According to Bankrate.com, seniors aged 65 and over reported losing a median of $350 in 2020 as a result of falling prey to scammers. That’s more than double the median loss ($160) of all age groups.
Crafty criminals try to con seniors out of their money through various fraudulent schemes, with Social Security scams being among the most prevalent and dangerous. The article offers advice on how to protect yourself from a variety of scams.
In the case of Social Security scams, it reports that scam artists will often use a phone number from Washington D.C. (a 202 area code) to call you, claiming that your Social Security number was used in a crime. The fraudster will then say you need to send money in order to fix it, and if not, the police could arrest you.
Please remember that the Social Security Administration (SSA) will NEVER call you demanding your Social Security number without prior contact through email, phone or written letter, especially for an emergency situation. The agency will also NEVER send police after you.
If you believe you have been a victim of a Social Security scam, you should call the SSA’s fraud hotline at 800-269-0271 or file a report with the Office of the Inspector General at https://oig.ssa.gov/report/.
The Seniors Trust is committed to helping protect Social Security and that includes providing important information to seniors on how to prevent Social Security scams. We also want to see Congress pass The Social Security Expansion Act. It will give retirees an immediate benefits increase of about $200 a month, a fair annual COLA, increased minimum benefits, and will ensure the long-term solvency of the Social Security program.
