Four Things You Need to Know About Social Security Scams

Thursday, March 9, is National Slam the Scam Day. To help protect you from falling victim to a Social Security scam, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has launched a public information campaign. It has been emailing warnings to help people recognize Social Security-related scams and providing tools to stop scammers from stealing money and personal information.

Here’s what you need to watch out for:

1. Scammers like to pretend to be from a familiar organization or agency, like the Social Security Administration. They may email attachments with official-looking logos, seals, signatures, or pictures of employee credentials.
2. Scammers will often try to lure you in with the mention of a problem or a prize. They may say your Social Security number was involved in a crime or ask for personal information to process a benefit increase.
3. Scammers will pressure you to act immediately. They may threaten you with arrest or legal action.
4. Scammers will usually tell you to pay using a gift card, prepaid debit card, cryptocurrency, wire or money transfer, or by mailing cash. They may also tell you to transfer your money to a “safe” account.

The SSA says you should always ignore scammers and report suspicious behavior to the SSA Office of the Inspector General (OIG).

The Seniors Trust is committed to providing important information to seniors on how to prevent scams that target their identity or finances, including trying to steal Social Security numbers. We also want Congress to enact The Social Security Expansion Act. It will give retirees an immediate benefits increase of about $200 a month, a fair annual COLA, increase minimum benefits, and ensure the long-term solvency of the Social Security program.