Scammers are everywhere. They try different techniques just to steal your personal information and use it for their own benefit. One of the classic scamming activities is the Scam Calls from Social Security. Since over millions of Americans take assistance from Social Security, it is no surprise that fraudsters will pretend to be government employees to demand money from you.
This type of scheme can be intimidating because it impersonates the Social Security Administration (SSA) to pressure their victims into giving their private information. Primarily, they use phone calls to trick people and threaten them to cut off their benefits if the victim does not give his/her information.
These offenders continue to lurk around our world and find new strategies in victimizing people. For this reason, we need to stay alert and take preventive measures to avoid and put a stop on these scam calls.
How to Identify a Social Security Scam Call?
You should understand that SSA customer services do not give threatening calls with arrest or any type of legal action just to get your social security number. If the SSA found a problem on your account, they will send a letter of request first before calling you.
This request is to confirm your availability to have a business call with them and discuss important matters.
The administration may call you but in that situation, remember that their customer service DOES NOT PERFORM the following:
- Threaten you to suspend your Social Security Number (SSN) or take legal action if you do not give your personal Social Security data.
- Pressure you to give your information in exchange for personal benefits.
- Demand payment from you straight away. Scammers usually ask for cash, gift cards, debit cards, or wire transfer.
- Collect personal details such as bank information or card numbers in exchange for Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA).
- Callers saying there is a sudden issue on your SSN or account.
Ways to stop Scam Calls from Social Security
Con artists manipulate you by intimidation, pressure, and subtle attacks your fear of losing your Social Security account. Even if you are aware that they are scammers, once you’re in the situation, you might have a hard time to recognize them or put a stop on their calls.
So, here are reminders you should keep in mind to avoid scam calls from fraudsters:
1. Be tough and hang up the phone. Yes, scam callers are frightening, but the truth is they really can’t hurt you unless you give your personal information to them. So, if you receive a threat or suspicious attitude from a “social security” call, click that red button immediately to cease the conversation.
2. Block that caller’s number. Some scam callers are very persistent and will call you repetitively just to convince you they are legitimate. Once you notice something off from a caller, hang up the phone and block the number as well.
3. Call the authorities for appropriate action. Suspicious Social Security Calls are hard to ignore because they will leave a thought in your head saying – “what if you are wrong and they are really from SSA?” If you are bothered by that thought, take action and call the official number of SSA to confirm. You can also get help from their Social Security Office of the Inspector General (1-800-269-0271) to report a complaint.
They would collect information from you such as the number of the scammers and how they identified themselves.
So you have to be vigilant about particular callers to avoid missing important information.
What if a Scammer already got my Social Security Number and used it?
There are unfortunate events that we can’t avoid from happening. All we have to do is make a move and put an end to it. For instance, a scammer already has your SSN and has been using it for a while. How do you deal with this? Here are some helpful actions you can take to secure your account again.
- Review your records of earnings – One way to prove that someone is using your account is when you see inconsistencies on your earnings record. You can check your record on your Social Security Statement. If you see unusual activities on it, you can file a report of Identity Theft on the Federal Trade Commission’s Identity Theft webpage.
- Reach out for Internal Revenue Service (IRS) – If you have problems on your account relating to taxes, the IRS is the best authority to call. You can claim a tax refund or check for any compromises involving your taxes. Contact the IRS online or call their number: 1-800-908-4490.
- Request for a Free Credit Report – Thankfully, we have three reliable Credit Bureaus who can offer us help in tracking our credit report. These are Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. You can actually order a free report from AnnualCreditReport.com or you can also call them at 1-877-322-8228.
- Report to the Police Authorities – Last but not the least is filing a report of Identity Theft to the Police. You can visit your community’s police station and file a complaint for an immediate action on your account.
