How to Identify and Avoid Common Social Security Scams

Common Social Security scams

1. Benefit increase. The supposed SSA representative calls bearing good news — say, an increase in your benefits. To get the extra money, you just have to pay a fee or verify your name, date of birth and Social Security number. Armed with those identifiers, scammers can effectively hijack your account, asking SSA to change the address, phone number and direct deposit information on your record, thus diverting your benefits.
2. Suspended Social Security number. An impersonator tells you that your Social Security number will be suspended and that your benefits will end unless you immediately pay a fee. They’ll demand payment in gift cards, a wire transfer, cryptocurrency or through a payment app. It’s a fake dilemma; the real SSA wouldn’t threaten you or suspend your Social Security number.
3. Your number was used in a crime. An impersonator claims that your Social Security number has been linked to criminal activity and that you’re in danger of going to jail. “They’ll say, ‘OK, your Social Security number was used to rent a car that was found abandoned in El Paso, Texas, with drugs and blood in it. We’re going to send somebody out to arrest you,’ ” explains Steve Baker, a former Federal Trade Commission official who publishes the Baker Fraud Report newsletter. Once the impersonators have frightened their targets, they’ll sometimes tell them that the only way to avoid arrest is to send money. In one such scheme, an Indiana man and coconspirators in the U.S. and overseas allegedly pressured people into withdrawing large sums of cash and sending it by FedEx to avoid arrest. The ring stole approximately $1.5 million that way, before it was uncovered and broken up by federal law enforcement.
4. Your bank account is in danger. The impersonator tells you that because your Social Security number has been stolen, your bank accounts are at risk, Baker says. “They’ll say, ‘What we need to do is get all of your money out and put it in a safe account or some sort of government-controlled account.’ ”

Does Social Security call you?

Social Security almost never contacts people out of the blue. It will text you only if you opted to receive notifications that way or to verify your identity when you access your online My Social Security account. And if you have an old My Social Security account, you may receive an email from the SSA informing you of the login change. (These emails should always originate from a “.gov” address. See below for more tips).

Social Security will never threaten or pressure you to take immediate action.

If you do owe the agency money — for a benefit overpayment, for example — you’ll get an official letter outlining your payment options and appeal rights. 

“We urge members of the public to ignore unexpected messages and unsolicited offers,” says Rebecca Rose, spokesperson for Social Security’s Office of Inspector General. “This simple step will help protect you from a scam.”

How to protect yourself

Rose cautions that Social Security impersonators are “constantly evolving and relentless.” Even so, there’s plenty you can do to protect yourself from them:

• Stay calm. Social Security impostors often want to elicit an emotional response, so you’ll be more vulnerable. Hang up the phone, and talk to someone you trust about the situation. 
• Be wary of emails. If there is a link included, move your computer mouse over it to reveal the actual destination address. The main part of the address should end with “.gov/” — including the forward slash. If there’s anything between .gov and the slash, the address is fake. SSA has more information about how to ensure emails are valid here.
• Verify calls. Scammers use “spoofing” technology to trick caller ID or create email addresses that look legitimate. Independently call the number you have for the SSA. “Do not click on any texts, emails or respond to any phone calls with people saying they can expediate or do this process for you,” Nofziger says.
• Work with trusted sources. When updating your account to meet new login requirements, “follow the steps laid out for you at login.gov and only there,” Nofziger says.
• Keep current on your Social Security information. Check your account on a monthly basis for signs of anything unusual, even if you have not started collecting benefits.
• Protect your personal information. There’s no reason to provide your Social Security number or other personal information to someone who contacts you by email. SSA never requests information that way. 

What to do if you are targeted

• Report scam attempts. If you get an impostor call, email or text report it to SSA using its detailed online form. You can also call Social Security’s fraud hotline at 800-269-0271.
• Report identity theft. If your Social Security number has been stolen, file a report with the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) IdentityTheft.gov website, which can help you develop a recovery plan.
• Place alerts. You can take measures to prevent identity theft, such as freezing your credit, placing a fraud alert with the major credit recording agencies and filing your taxes early before a scammer looks to steal your refund.
• Call the free AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline, 877-908-3360, to speak with trained specialists who can provide support and guidance on what to do next and how to avoid scams. The AARP Fraud Watch Network also offers online group support sessions.

More resources

Social Security has a printable pamphlet about identity theft and stolen Social Security numbers, as well as information online about scams.

The FTC has instructions on what do if your identity is lost or stolen or if you sent a scammer money.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has information on credit reports and scores, including fraud protection.

The Department of Justice has a step-by-step guide on what to do if you think you’re a victim of identity theft.

This story has been updated with advice from experts and information about changes in the Social Security online login system.