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Beware: Social Security scamsburl
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by Diane Archer
If you get a call or email from anyone claiming to need your Social Security number or other
personal information, including anyone who says he or she works for Social Security, do not
give out this information, Beware: Social Security scams abound.
In one Social Security scam, scammers call and pretend that they work for Social Security.
They tell people receiving Social Security benefits that they are due additional money from
Social Security, and then ask them to verify their personal information. With that
information, scammers can alter people's addresses and telephone information on file with
the Social Security Administration and redirect people's Social Security checks to their own
bank accounts.
Phone scams are common and come in many different forms, (See this gust Care post on
financial scams amidwhir ��u shc� ld beware �f stranger° of��r i bel .) Suck in March
2017, Social Security's Office of the Inspector General reported that people were receiving
recorded messages that Social ,Security had suspended their benefits. People receiving
Social Security benefits were told that to avoid arrest they must call a phone number; when
they did, the scammers demanded money from them..
While Social Securit agents may sometimes call people, they will never ask for your
personal information. And, you should never give anyone this information over the phone or
via email, even if you, think you know the person, Keep in mind that with new technology,
scammers can impersonate relatives, sounding ex ctly i e a child or grandchiid.
If YOU get a call from someone you believe is a, scammer, pressuring you for money or
personal information, hang up. You can report the call to 1-800-2'69-0271, the Social
Security Administration's Office of the Inspector General r
,q��o contact Social
Security online at h4p§.t/oiq.ssa.goy/report.
Note:A version of this post was published on July 27, 2017.
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