A common phone call scam that people have been receiving states that your Social Security number is suspended for suspicious activity. It then prompts you to speak to a government agent in order to receive help resolving the issue.
This scam has been going on for over a year, if not longer, and are robocalls that pretend to be from a government official who states that suspicious or fraudulent activity associated with your social security number has been detected. The robocall then prompts you to call back or speak to an agent in order to resolve the issue.
As the FTC notes, Social Security numbers cannot be suspended, so any calls stating that they are is simply a scam. The attackers are just trying to trick you into providing your birth date, bank account numbers, social security numbers, and other sensitive information.
"Thing is, Social Security numbers do not get suspended," the FTC states in an advisory. "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."
When receiving a call about your Social Security number, it is important to remember these important facts:
- The number for the Social Security Administration is 1-800-772-1213. Never call another number provided in a phone call or email.
- The Social Security Administration will never threaten to arrest you.
- A Social Security number cannot be suspended.
- Never provide your Social Security number to unknown individuals who contact you.
These scam utilize different scripts when performing robocalls. A current script being used by this scams is:
Another variant is listed below that is a more aggressive as they threaten to issue an arrest warrant if you do not call them back.
Law enforcement agencies to suspend your Social Security number on an immediate basis, as we have received suspicious trails of information in your name. The moment you receive this message, I need you to get back to me on my department division toll-free number that is 1-888-952-5554. I repeat 1-888-952-5554. Verify the last four digits of your Social Security number when you call to better assist you with this issue. Now, if I don’t hear a call from you, we will have to issue an arrest warrant under your name and get you arrested. So, get back to me as soon as possible. Thank you.While I never personally received one of these scam calls, Aaron de Montmorency recorded an example and shared it with BleepingComputer.
As always, be careful out there and remember that the Social Security Administration will not call and threaten to arrest you, ask for bank account information, or other sensitive information. Calls that ask for this information are scams and should be immediately hung up on.
En español | Social Security numbers are the skeleton key to identity theft. And what better way to get someone’s Social Security number than by pretending to be from Social Security?
Social Security's Office of the Inspector General (OIG) received about 360,000 reports of Social Security impersonators and related scams in 2021. That's a steep drop from 2020's record-breaking numbers, according to a recent OIG report to Congress, but it’s not for lack of trying on the scammers’ part: T-Mobile estimates that of the 21 billion scam calls flagged by its customer security tools last year, 10 percent — or more than 2 billion — were from Social Security impostors.
One common tactic involves fake Social Security Administration (SSA) employees calling about supposed problems with your Social Security number — for example, warning that it's been linked to criminal activity and suspended. They ask you to confirm your number so they can reactivate it or claim they can issue you a new one for a fee.
This is no emergency, but a ploy to get money and personal data. Social Security does not block or suspend numbers, ever.
This con is often executed via
robocall — the recording provides a number for you to call to remedy the problem. In other
versions, the caller threatens to seize your bank account due to illicit activity or offers to help you transfer your money to keep it safe.
Listen to an actual scam call about a supposedly compromised Social Security number. The caller's warning is 100 percent fake: The real Social Security Administration does not suspend numbers.
Audio courtesy of the Federal Trade Commission
On the other hand, you might get a call from a supposed SSA representative 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 and thus diverting your benefits.
Impostors also reach out via phishing emails, text messages and even old-fashioned paper mail, OIG says, and their tactics are getting more sophisticated. To feign legitimacy, they may use the real names of Social Security officials, recite “badge numbers” or stamp mailings with phony SSA letterhead. Some even create counterfeit versions of the IDs federal workers use to gain entry to government buildings, texting or emailing images of the fake credentials to "prove" they're on legitimate Social Security business.
Remember that the SSA will almost never contact you out of the blue. It will only text you if you've opted to receive notifications that way, or to verify your identity when you access your online My Social Security account. It 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. With a little vigilance, it's not difficult to spot when a Social Security contact is a sham.
Warning Signs
- You receive an unsolicited communication from someone claiming to work for Social Security. Except in rare circumstances, the SSA will not call, email or text you unless you have already been in contact with the agency.
- The message asks for your Social Security number — again, something an actual SSA employee wouldn’t do.
- It threatens consequences such as arrest, loss of benefits or suspension of your Social Security number if you do not make an immediate payment by gift card, prepaid debit card, wire transfer or cryptocurrency.