Skip to main content

While some of you are home, practicing social distancing and frequent hand washing to avoid the Coronavirus, remember that scammers are still busy trying to take advantage of people. Some scammers are pretending to be from the Social Security Administration (SSA) and trying to get your Social Security number or your money.

Here's what to know:

  • Do not trust caller ID. Scam calls may show up on caller ID as the Social Security Administration and look like the agency’s real number, but it’s not the SSA calling.
  • Your Social Security number is not about to be suspended. And your bank accounts are not about to be seized.
  • Don’t verify your Social Security number or any other personal information to anyone who calls out of the blue. If you already did, visit IdentityTheft.gov/SSA to find out what steps you can take to protect your credit and your identity.
  • 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.
  • Talk about it. If you’re getting these calls, chances are your friends and family are too. Please talk with them about it.
  • People who know about scams are much less likely to fall for them. So by discussing them you are helping protect people you care for and people in your community.

Check out this video for more information on Social Security scams.

Want more information on the latest Coronavirus-related scams we’re seeing? Visit ftc.gov/coronavirus, and sign up for our consumer alerts.

(This post is part of the FTC's imposter scam series.)

 

Search Terms
credit
fraud
identity theft
imposter
Topics
Shopping and Donating
Identity Theft and Online Security
Identity Theft
Online Privacy and Security
Scams
Government Impersonators
Social Security Impersonators
Paul
April 07, 2020
thank you so much for being a voice of reason.
Dedeye
April 07, 2020
Thank you, all of the people who tirelessly work at the FTC to put out these notifications!! God bless each and every one of you! I have been forewarned on so much! Keep up the Great Work. I appreciate every notification I've received.
Love 999
April 07, 2020
I received a call yesterday about one of my credit cards and they had a lot of my info. They were going to lower my interest rate to 6% due to me being such a good customer and paying my bills on time. You can understand how appealing this would be? How will we ever know truths from scams? Obviously I hung up when asked for the last four of SS#. Life , I fear will never be the same.
John Dough
April 08, 2020
In my area, the SSA has a poster on the wall stating, the SSA will never ask for your SS# over the phone or online. (personal information as another way to put it).
Paul
April 08, 2020
Thanks for all you do to inform the public of theses scams Be Safe
edie
April 08, 2020
ssi (supplemental security income) we need to know if our checks are going on our direct express cards. lots of us don't have bank accounts and only use direct express card. cashing a $1200 paper check within 30 days(limit imposed by companies like walmart and check cashing businesses) in the pandemic with close downs and lockdowns will be a problem. will ssi recipients see the money deposited on the direct express cards?
edie
April 08, 2020

In reply to by FTC Staff

that link does not address this, in time i hope it does, but atm everything addresses social security auto deposits w/o wiling tax documents not ssi.
Mike444rr
April 08, 2020
Thank God for FTC alerts im very aware of the scams going on and i know for a fact that the IRS if money is owed to them they will seize assets and place liens and IRS sends letters in the mail so does ssi
Emr
April 08, 2020
Thank you for valuable information. Wondering if you inform offices for aging and/or aarp. Before I retired I used to pass along info. on scams to elderly clients. Don't know if they continue to be informed about these complex scams.
e-mail
April 08, 2020
Thank you so much
Mary
April 09, 2020
So glad I signed up for these alerts from FTC. Because I'm a senior, it seems like I am on the list of every scam going. Your emails have been great reminders of the latest predators' techniques. Thank you.
lcw43013
April 27, 2020
I wanted to check the status on my stimulus check and after putting in my info, a bank account number popped up that IS NOT mine and i have no clue who it belongs to or where it came from. I’m worried someone may have my information and be getting money based off my ssn. What do i do?
DISCUSTEDon't …
September 03, 2020
Claims to be SSDept. 541 889 7447 Every am fax call and no fax here 541889 6292
Marcia M
February 19, 2021
I was contacted today for the third time this month from someone calling himself, Mark Hammer from the SSA. I was aware of the scam and just hung up but I captured the phone number on my landline. I'm forwarding here since I couldn't get to the form. The number on my phone was 1-872-973-2227. The call was at 9:22 a.m.
Return to top