Consumer Alert
This is what a Social Security scam sounds like
Earlier this month, we told you about a growing scam: people pretend to be from the Social Security Administration (SSA) and try to get your Social Security number or your money. That scam is now growing exponentially. To compare: in 2017, we heard from 3,200 people about SSA imposter scams, and those people reported losing nearly $210,000. So far THIS year: more than 35,000 people have reported the scam, and they tell us they’ve lost $10 million.
Here’s what one of those scam calls sound like:
Scammers are saying your Social Security number (SSN) has been suspended because of suspicious activity, or because it’s been involved in a crime. Sometimes, the scammer wants you to confirm your SSN to reactivate it. Sometimes, he’ll say your bank account is about to be seized – but he’ll tell you what to do to keep it safe. (Often, that involves putting your money on gift cards and giving him the codes – which, of course, means that your money is gone.)
Oh, and your caller ID often shows the real SSA phone number (1-800-772-1213) when these scammers call – but they’re faking that number. It’s not the real SSA calling.
Here's what to know:
- Your Social Security number is not about to be suspended. You don’t have to verify your number to anyone who calls out of the blue. And your bank accounts are not about to be seized.
- SSA will never call to threaten your benefits or tell you to wire money, send cash, or put money on gift cards. Anyone who tells you to do those things is a scammer. Every time.
- The real SSA number is 1-800-772-1213, but scammers are putting that number in the caller ID. If you’re worried about what the caller says, hang up and call 1-800-772-1213 to speak to the real SSA. Even if the wait time is long, confirm with the real SSA before responding to one of these calls.
- Never give any part of your Social Security number to anyone who contacts you. Or your bank account or credit card number.
If you get one of these calls, tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Topics
November 10, 2020
Receiving call now from custom and boarder patrol with FTC complaints file numbers for ID theft go to SSA and also local fake police officers.
November 10, 2020
This number is doing this kind of calls 469-215-5965
Please advise on this issue.
November 10, 2020
Scammer just called me left voicemail and when i called back asked for the last 2 digits of social security number to verify it was me.
November 12, 2020
I received one of these scam calls from 919-590-1136. When I asked for a number to call back they gave me 202-475-7700. Of course that number is not valid. I get this call at least 5 times a day.
November 12, 2020
I get no less than 10 calls a day with this scam from different numbers each time. It needs to stop; how can we stop this ?? I’d change my number but I’ve had it 14 years and it’s no Gaya ranger the calls would stop anyway.
November 12, 2020
be aware : 682 249 2673
November 12, 2020
got a call from (629)204-3898, sounded like an Indian guy, said he was from Texas, but the number was from Tennessee.
November 12, 2020
229-666-3946.
called ang wanted me to call them. they left this number.
I never called back
November 12, 2020
This is a message left on my voice mail.
"The reason of this message is to inform you that SSA department is filing a lawsuit against you and arrest warrant has been released on your name. Due to a legal enforcement actions filed on your social security number for fraudulent activities. To get more information about this case file from federal database press one and speak to our agent now."
November 12, 2020
Last month, I did receive a phone call from local SSA office on a Saturday morning about my Medicare application that I filed last year. That time I thought it was a fake call, but she only asked whether or not I am a citizen now and she explained they had too many applications in the queue so she has to work overtime on Saturday. Then three days later, I received my long overdue Medicare card in the mail. So today when I received the call from SSA again I thought it was real. The guy sounds so real. His name is Frank Adam with badge Number 4179....same story....someone use my SSN and involved in criminal case in Texas...I was scared but then I thought suspend my SSN what it will do to me if my SSN is suspend. May be I don’t have to pay tax anymore?! He also asked had policy stopped my house....Until he asked to identify me before he gave the details of the case, I told him I need to identify you too. At the end, he harassed me if I hang up the phone, no one is going to help me to resolve this case. I then hang up on him. I will never give any private info to a stranger, I don’t care who you are on the other end of line.
November 13, 2020
I just received this call telling me there was a Toyota Corolla found in the border of Texas and Mexico under my name with cocaine. That there is a federal warrant to arrest me. I told the person Mr. Jerry Goodman that if he was a federal agent he should have this information and i had no reason to tell him. I searched for the case number and here it was. The number that called me was (787) 622-5292
November 13, 2020
I received a call from 502-415-9956 and 502-415-7537 this morning explaining the call was being recorded and her name was from a Jessica Dixon Operator 8082064 and the address is 11111551 Gateway Boulevard Elpaso Tx. Shared my ssi is suspended for fraudulent criminal activity and asked to confirm the last 4 digits of my social and that I’m a prime suspect in a drug Traffiking and money laundering case and that the DEA would be contacting me if I hung up. Well I hung up and I’ve blocked the number but I still get robo calls from other ky numbers. This is preposterous at best!
November 13, 2020
I get calls from 310-317-9585 shows up as from Malibu, CA .
November 13, 2020
289.838.8808
I got it scam phone 3 times
November 13, 2020
I had a call as described in this article from 773-836-9819, Chicago, Il, and did not give any SSN or any other information. The call sounded very suspicious. The person on the phone introduced herself as the officer Tony Miller. Badge ID SSA19BAA9A. Please take care of this situation to prevent further fraud.
November 13, 2020
I JUST RECEIVED AN AUTOMATED PHONE CALL FROM SOCIAL SECURITY STATING THAT I'M UNDER INVESTIGATION WITH THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION'S CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT AND TO PRESS 1 FOR MORE INFORMATION. A FOREIGNER ANSWERED IN BROKEN ENGLISH AND TOLD ME HIS NAME IS JOHN MAX AND HE'S AN INVESTIGATOR CALLING FROM HEADQUARTERS IN EL PASO, TX. HE ASKED MY NAME AND ZIP CODE. HE THEN ASKED ME TO VERIFY MY ADDRESS AND I TOLD HIM, "NO." HE SAID IT WAS VERY SERIOUS AND I NEEDED TO COMPLY AND VERIFY MY ADDRES IN ORDER TO PROCEED WITH DETAILS OF THE CASE AGAINST ME. I TOLD HIM I DIDN'T BELIEVE HIM AND THAT I THOUGHT IT WAS A SCAM. I LOOKED IT UP ON THE COMPUTER AS I WAS TALKING TO HIM. I COULD HEAR MULTIPLE PEOPLE IN THE BACKGROUND ON PHONE CALLS. HE JUST HUNG UP. THE NUMBER THAT CAME UP ON MY PHONE WASN'T AN EL PASO NUMBER.
November 13, 2020
so annoyed!!! been receiving this calls for the past few days!!
(818)855-and the for numbers at the end change every freaking second!!!
November 14, 2020
(623) 264-6485 is making scams calls saying is Social Security.
November 14, 2020
Partial phone message transcript: We're scheduled to serve you a warrant tomorrow from 3 to 5PM. If we are not able to gain your signature at that time, we will then have to serve you at your local sheriff’s department at which point media and law enforcement will also be involved.
If you fail to appear at the sheriff’s department, your case will be prosecuted and your benefits suspended.
November 16, 2020
Got call 11/16/20. Social security scam 267-913-1547
November 16, 2020
447-275-1292
Got a call from that number today stating they are from the SSA department and had a warrant against my name for a crime committed in a state I'm not even from or been too, multiple credit card accounts under my name, laundering and drug charges and followed the call with a recording with details of the "crime" used with my social. Asked me to verify last 4 of my social and address and the lady gave me a case ID number and Badge number stating her name was Officer Samantha and that if I Hung up they would release a warrant but failed to answer the questions I had asked such as if I took the information they gave me to the Local sherriff department if they could verify and they denied to answer. So I told the gentleman she transferred me to , so he could explain the seriousness of the crime, that I would gladly hang up and wait for a sheriff to show up at my door. And he sounded disappointed and I hung up. This was probably one of the most legit sounding scam calls I have received in a few years. I can almost always tell when it's a scam.
November 17, 2020
Just received an automated call from 916-597-5311 saying my SSN has been used in a fraud case in TX. My SSN has now been suspended. This is their last attempt to contact me. Press 1 to find out more about this case and to reactivate your SSN.
November 16, 2020
I got the same call on November 16 and it stated the same thing the spoofing call came from 469-257-5302. Its indeed another scammer trying to get information.
November 16, 2020
Got a call from this number +1 (469) 257-5302 saying ssn is about to be suspended because of lawsuits
November 16, 2020
Received spammer call concerning my ssn being compromised,loud background stated his nsme was Hector. Called from Maryland phone number. Insisted that I give my 1st/ last name
November 17, 2020
Attention with number 1-430-703-8882 Skam Call.
November 17, 2020
I just got this call. Came from 916.599.9321 & again from 916.599.9127. So frustrating.
November 17, 2020
This is a scam number +1 313-765-1731. This lady has called from other numbers.
November 18, 2020
Got a call earlier today 812-415-4263
November 18, 2020
Getting calls from different area codes in USA, today they got very creative and call from United Kingdom!
November 18, 2020
I do also getting this calls almost everyday around 3 and 4 afternoon and all agents sound weird accents but very common names like Willian Smith or when you ask for their name more than 2 times they get nervous and hang up, so the pattern is the same so be aware and stay frosty
November 19, 2020
The number that called me with this fraud is:
404-271-1991
November 19, 2020
Got a call today on my cell phone from 479-926-3219 saying my social security number was suspended. I knew it was a scam, so I did a fraud report with Social Security. Beware of calls from this number.
November 19, 2020
Received a call from 404-428-5517, Stating that my social security number have been suspended asked the gentleman a few questions he gave me this 1245 East 16th Avenue El Paso Texas address. Once I started to tell him about the scam he immediately hung up in my face. I blocked the #. But some people can be taken by these thieves. Pay attention...
November 19, 2020
Recieved a call from 208-508-2716.
SSN SCAM
November 20, 2020
They are now calling from a new number (352) 645-5754. I received a call today talking about an arrest warrant. She had my name wrong and also wanted me to verify my SSN last 4-digits. Needless to say, after I exposed her she (Karen Miller) quickly hung up.
November 20, 2020
202 963 3512
November 20, 2020
I have been receiving regular calls from 503-569-8168 saying they are from the SS office and or that they are officers. They insist that my # has been used in illegal activity and that I should respond immediately before I have to go to court. They have a foreign accent and may be male or female. Please don’t give any information they are persistent. Hang up and save yourself the grief.
November 20, 2020
Got a text message from 833-684-0624 wanted me to click a hyperlink so I could read a message from SSA. Totally fake, be careful they will do anything to take our money.
November 20, 2020
Received an automated computer call from 906.963.3949 @ 10:57 am telling me my Social Security number was being suspended due to suspicious activity. I did not press the button to connect to anyone and hung up.
November 20, 2020
Just received a call this morning to tell me that my social security number has been compromised, therefore they was suspending my social security.
They wanted me to press number 1, for more information.
I just hung up, and called the real social security number and was advised that was a scam. Social security never calls unless you put in a call and are expecting a call.
November 20, 2020
Received call from"416-674-5274" regarding social security number being suspended. We are a business. We are in Toronto. In Canada it is called social insurance number. How stupid are these scammers!
November 20, 2020
Today I got called by this number 313 306 9620 and it left a voice mail with a cheap text to speech audio
November 22, 2020
Who from the SSA or FBI calls you and says we will get you arrested? The idiots need to step up their game and leave out the fact they are really stupid with their conversation recordings.
November 23, 2020
I have got this call numerous times and it does sound like the sample. I just hang up. The last call was just a few minutes ago. Today is Nov 23, 2020.
November 23, 2020
i got a call and it said drug trafficking and that is not true what do i do
November 23, 2020
Got a phone from 2297406357
November 23, 2020
+1 (323) 622-0017 This number says the same
November 23, 2020
Scammers keep calling me with " Your Social Security number is not about to be suspended" from 9512006523 / (951) 200 6523.
November 23, 2020
My wife got a call from as a investigator with all the usual drug traffic and bank fraud threats. Marshall are coming for you. What was different for me was they didn't want anything. Just close my account and get a government bonded check to have in my possession when they showed up. Was worried this may be a home invasion scam. Told me not to contact anyone about this unroll I spoke with Marshall. Couldn't find any comments about bonded checks. Did some research and came across an social security aarp site that brought to light a government bonded check is gift card or prepaid card. Was relieved to see that and no it was truly a phone scam. Never did give them any info but has ruined our weekend waiting to see if law was gonna show up. Hope this helps someone get some piece of mind.