How to Protect Yourself from Social Security Scams
Elder fraud is a growing concern in this country. According to an article by The Motley Fool, scams targeting seniors increased by almost 400 percent over the past five years. In 2021, there were 92,371 reported cases. Scammers tend to target older people because seniors are typically not skilled or comfortable using technology.
Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to keep from becoming a victim:
- Never respond to an unsolicited call, text message, or email from someone claiming to be from the Social Security Administration (SSA). The SSA will not call or text you out of the blue. Official communication from the SSA will generally come in the mail.
- Create a My Social Security account. Set up an account on the SSA’s website so you can monitor activity and quickly take action if you see anything suspicious.
- Shred documents containing personal data rather than simply toss them out. To help prevent identity theft, be sure to shred bank account and credit card statements and anything containing your Social Security number.
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 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), increased minimum benefits, and will ensure the long-term solvency of the Social Security program.
