Consumer Alert
Your Social Security number isn’t suspended. Ever.
A caller says that he’s from the government and your Social Security number (SSN) has been suspended. He sounds very professional. So you should do exactly what he says to fix things…right?
Wrong.
The FTC has gotten reports about scammers trying to trick people out of their personal information by telling them that they need to “reactivate” their supposedly “suspended” SSNs. The scammers say the SSN was suspended because of some connection to fraud or other criminal activity. They say to call a number to clear it up – where they’ll ask you for personal information.
Thing is, Social Security numbers do not get suspended. This is just a variation of a government imposter scam that’s after your SSN, bank account number, or other personal information. In this variation of the scheme, the caller pretends to be protecting you from a scam while he’s trying to lure you into one.
Here are a few tips to protect yourself:
- Never give out or confirm personal information over the phone, via email or on a website until you’ve checked out whoever is asking you for it.
- Do not trust a name, phone number, or email address just because it seems to be connected with the government. Con artists use official-sounding names and may fake caller ID or email address information to make you trust them. Besides, the government normally contacts people by postal mail.
- Contact government agencies directly, using telephone numbers and website addresses you know to be legitimate.
If someone has tried to steal your personal information by pretending to be from the government, report it to the FTC.
Search Terms
Topics
May 30, 2019
They are at it again...just got two calls in a row with this ridiculousness. I hope no one falls for this.
May 30, 2019
I just hot this call and now I have a headache
May 30, 2019
I also just received a call today from 1-800-167-9633. I did not answer the call but a prerecorded message came on that stated " this is a call from the Dept. of Social Security Administration. The reason you have received a phone call from our dept. is to inform you that we just suspend your social security number because we found some suspicious activity so if you want to know about this case just press one thank you." Hope these scammers get caught!
May 30, 2019
We started getting automated calls last week at the office and we just keep hanging up. Some days we get several of these calls and each time it's from a different phone number. Once the caller ID said Macy's.
May 31, 2019
phone number (cell) 512-270-1143 is scamming, had three calls this morning and if I hadn't look at this site might of made a mistake
June 03, 2019
This is still going on, from same general phone number. But the voicemail is so garbled and stilted, that I'm vaguely insulted that they haven't put more effort into it...
June 03, 2019
I received a call today from 731-474-9205 saying that I needed to call back that my social security number had been suspended due to fraudulent activity.
June 04, 2019
My son got a call yesterday, it was a robot recording voice stating his social security # has been suspended for suspicious activity.
This is the phone # 731-474-9909
June 05, 2019
I just received a so called phone call from SS stating my SS number was suspended I knew this was a scam so I hung up the the scammers used is 1-800-068-1111
June 05, 2019
I received multiple calls today with the same message that everyone else has received. They leave a voicemail with the same bad grammar "we have suspend your social security number" and the run on "pressonethankyou". All my numbers came from Boone, North Carolina.
June 06, 2019
I just received 2 calls from Boone, NC # 828-865-4195 and 828-865-4191 stating my SS# has been suspended. I didn't answer, they left me a message. I did not contact them..
June 06, 2019
Voice mail from 888-534-8766 with same verbage: "SS# suspended because of suspicious activity." Didn't call back. Tried to find a way to report the number. Not much success there.
June 06, 2019
I just got this scam call too. It appeared to be originating from Boone, NC. The phone number is (828) 865-4504. Don’t let these A&$holes bill some unsuspecting neophyte out of their hard earned money.
June 06, 2019
Got a call about this from no 800-022-6213.
An automated message prompted me to press "1" to connect to a concerned department to unlock. I had to drop from the call coz
I had other things to take care of, but it would have been interesting to see what the heck happened when if I press "1" and get a crook on the other side.
June 06, 2019
I got a call from this number 828-865-4512 saying my dad's social security is suspended and should press one, I knew this was a scam and hung up. This is the 4th time those scammers have called today. Is there any way to make these jerks stop calling?
June 06, 2019
Thank you for this post... I just got the VM on my phone that was scripted exactly as you had it... Deleted!!
June 07, 2019
Received this type of scam today 6/7/2019 the
number was 1 (800) 065-7210
June 07, 2019
Got a call from 844-343-8080 saying that my SSN is suspended due to fraudulent activity. I just hanged up.
June 07, 2019
I got 8 calls today from a bot saying my SSN was suspended due to suspicious activity. Normally I would ignore these calls but I had helped my Mom pay her Medicare bill online an hour before the calls started. I had added my cell number to her account as it was a required field and my mom doesn’t have a cell phone. Is this a coincidence or are the bots tracking who logs in to the SSA and Medicare websites? I called SSA and was told it’s a scam, so whew! The numbers that called me were from Boone, NC :
828-865-5225, and endings of -5220, -5210, -5208, -5203.
I blocked these calls but it looks like they have a lot of extensions!
June 08, 2019
Block calls from -917-338-1359. Scam call about social security number being suspended due to suspicious activity .
June 08, 2019
The first time i got this call, i laugh so hard like never before. I picked up right away that what the caller have said was non-sense. Social security is a part of us as individual here in the U.S.A. When we die, our social security number dies with us. As long as we live, so does the number lives. Even those who are incarcerated. They maybe suspended from seeing the outside world but their social security number remains active. I dont think anyone or any organization can suspend anybody's social security ever.
June 10, 2019
This phone number: 917 752 4144 just left me a voicemail saying my ssn is suspended, i got curious and looked it up. Good thing this information is up inform us of these scams
June 10, 2019
I just got a call from +1 (800) 118-6213 a few minutes ago. I received a voicemail about my social security number being suspended last week and found this thread. This time I answered and pressed “1” as prompted. I was quickly connected to an Indian man who asked how he could help. I said I wanted to be removed from the call list and he simply asked, “Why?” I replied, “This is a scam. You’re attempting to steal money from me and access my private information. I’m reporting this number to the authorities.” I expected him to hang up on me, but INSTEAD he laughed...yes, actually laughed and said, “Everyone will be scammed once in their lifetime.” Are you kidding me right now?!?! I told him it was disgusting what they were doing and it was all over the internet and they were being reported. Then I hung up. These people are the lowest of the low!!!!
June 10, 2019
I keep getting that call from San Jose, California at least once a week. I never answer the phone so I get their phony message on my machine.
June 10, 2019
Same. From below numbers:
646-348-7952
800-108-6213
June 10, 2019
I just got the suspended ssn call from 917-725 - 4141.
June 11, 2019
Received a voicemail from 1-800-241-8697 regarding this scam
June 11, 2019
I got a call from 1800 168 6213. Same as others that my ssn was suspended due to fraudulent activity. SPAM Call
June 11, 2019
I will add another number to the pile 828-865-6105 from North Carolina
June 11, 2019
Got a call from 1800 109 3435
And then another one from 1800 692 7753
Repeating the exact same message, informing me that my "social security number has been suspended due to suspicious activity"
June 11, 2019
Just got a call from this number 1800-913-8617 says our Dept is notifying you of your Social Security Number being Suspended. Then they ask you to press 1 to speak to someone. I am sick of these scams is ridiculous cannot report as no name is ever brought up on caller ID just the phony 1800 number. Another bad one is where they say Can you hear me Ok never say yes to this scam they record that and you get charged. Awful!
June 11, 2019
Received a call from 718 705 4887--left a message that there is suspicious activity and the call was from the Department of Social Security administration to inform me that they suspended my SSN because of suspicious activity. Total Scam. appreciate all these comments.
June 11, 2019
Who does this type of scam - and WHY? If you push 1 to speak to a person (and I may do it next time just to give them some very nasty cuss words) - who pays the foreigners that answer the call?? Five calls in 2 days, all 828-625-xxxx North Carolina. This is ridiculous that this type of BS can not be prosecuted or prevented from happening. Foreign companies and most American companies - scammers - pay no attention to the "do not call registry"!!!!
June 12, 2019
Someone just tried this scam on me in the Fort Lauderdale, Florida area.
June 12, 2019
12JUN19 -
Received the SSN scam call from (828) 865-6162, which is a North Carolina area code. I answered, listened to the first sentence and hung up.
The real concern is that all of the information collection by the federal alphabet-soup agencies is focused on ordinary citizens and the control over us derived from the information.
The question is: Why can't our federal agencies pinpoint the source of these scams and raid them? Citizen protection is one of very few services government should provide.
June 12, 2019
Thank you to the previous posts. A voicemail was left. . A robotic voice said my social security number has been suspended due to criminal activity, etc. . . The phone number on the Called ID: 800-997-0700.
June 12, 2019
Just got a call from 518-638-4260 say my SS has been suspended due to suspicious activity
June 12, 2019
I received an automated call stating it was Social Security Admin. And that my ss# was suspended and to press 1 for more info. The call came from +1214107770.
June 12, 2019
Got a call from 518 647-9351 with a recording saying that my social security number has been suspended due to unusual activity. It then asked me to press 1 to speak with somebody to have it reactivated. Total scam. I did not press 1!
June 12, 2019
I just received call from what now appears to be a scam—I confirmed my information. He asked if I wanted to fill out a form, I said no. Should I report this or look for any suspicious activity?
June 12, 2019
Call from NYC NY +1 (717) 705-4787.
Stating SS carb suspended for suspicious activity.
June 13, 2019
OMG I just got one too! 800-134-7213
June 13, 2019
Starting here in California, from Oakland....real trying scammer using a series of numbers.
510-112-7128
510-112-7119
510-112-7116
Blocked them all.....
June 14, 2019
310-359-8994... police officer has suspended my SSN due to fraudulent activity. Call to reactivate. BAHAHAHAHA! Tool Bags...
June 14, 2019
caller says that he’s from the government and your Social Security number (SSN) has been suspended. press 1 . number is from 510-112-7204. then they call back and number is 510-112 7183. then 510 112-7194. went on all day june 14, 2019 last 4 numbers are all ways different.
June 17, 2019
Just got the same : 510-112-7255. Automated voice, press “1”.
June 17, 2019
Beware: this scam robocall now coming from .718-395-2439
June 17, 2019
Got called today from 718-395-4234 New York ?
June 17, 2019
718 395 4234 Automated voice, press “1”.
June 17, 2019
..and within a hour of the call from 718-395-2439, the identical call now from 510-112-7269