The Social Security Administration has issued a warning about fraudulent schemes that scammers have been known to use recently.
The fraudsters typically call, send a text or an email that may threaten or pressure taxpayers into revealing information that should be kept confidential. Messages may include the following, according to the warning:
- Threats to suspend your Social Security number, even if they have part or all of your Social Security number
- Warnings of arrest of legal action
- Demands or requests for immediate payment
- Requirements to pay by gift card, prepaid debit card, internet currency, or by mailing cash
- Pressures you for personal information
- Requests secrecy
- Threats to seize your bank account
- Promises to increase your Social Security benefit, or
- Tries to gain your trust by providing fake “documentation,” false “evidence,” or the name of a real government official.
Each case, the SSA warns, is a scam and recommends that recipients stay calm and refuse to reveal any information. In addition, the recipient should hang up (or not call back, in case ot text or email).
The SSA also asks that taxpayers report any attempted scam, which can be done online.
The SSA will only communicate with taxpayers by letter in case of a problem, unless the person has contacted SSA and requested a call back.
Image by Alachua County on Flickr.
We encourage the public to report #SocialSecurity scams—or other Social Security fraud—via our website, https://t.co/6pBH3AUJba. Please share this information with your friends and family. #SlamTheScam pic.twitter.com/LO5JMhVD7M
— Social Security OIG (@TheSSAOIG) April 26, 2021