Social Security Administration Scam

Social Security Administration

Many people are being fooled by a scam claiming to be from the Social Security Administration. This scam has been reported many times to the AARP Fraud Watch Network. Con artists are pretending to be from the Social Security Administration. This scam has targeted many people, especially retirees that rely on Social Security as their main source of income.

These scammers use technology to perpetrate their scam, such as fake caller ID numbers, such as the real 1-800 number used by the Social Security Administration.

According to this Freep.com article, one version of the Social Security Administration scam involves the scammer demand that the victim buy hundreds of dollars onto gift cards in order to receive their "new" Medicare card (which is supposed to be free).

Senior citizens are commonly targeted by scams like this, and often do not know that they are a victim of a scam.

Please take note of the following clues in Social Security scams (Source: Detroit Free Press):

• The number on your caller ID can show up as 800-772-1213. It's a legitimate number but that doesn't mean the call isn't from a scammer.
• Crooks claim that the Social Security computers are down and they need you to help to provide some information. A huge red flag — Social Security already has your Social Security number and won't be calling to ask you to hand over that number to them. 
• Social Security isn't going to call and threaten that your benefits will be terminated
• If someone asks for information in order to make sure that you get a bigger Social Security check each month, it's a fraud. 

Editor's note: Always be wary of anyone that demand that money is wired via Western Union or gifts cards are purchased in order to receive something in return.

If you feel that you have been a victim of the Social Security Administration scam, please report this information to the Office of the Inspector General for Social Security at 800-269-0271