Tips to Avoid Social Security Scams

A 45-second read by the Baron Team:  Phone scams and particularly Social Security phone scams have been in the news recently. If you are looking for ways to protect your information, here is a list of some common red flags and what to do from AARP (formerly American Association of Retired Persons). To learn more, read AARP’s article on Social Security Scams.

Receiving a call from the Social Security Administration (SSA). In only rare circumstances would you receive a call from the SSA, so if you do, be cautious that it might be a scam. Scammers can program their caller ID so that it looks legitimate on your end. If you receive a call from the SSA randomly (meaning you didn’t contact them and they are calling you back), hang up the phone. If you are worried if the phone call is legitimate or not, you can call the SSA’s direct number - (800) 772-1213 and ask.

The caller is asking for your Social Security number. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the SSA would not ask for your Social Security number. Therefore, never give out your number or any other personal information. 

Beware of any emails that you receive from “SSA”. Double check that the email address ends with “.gov/” According to AARP – “if there’s anything between .gov and the slash, it’s fake.” Don’t click on any links without double checking.

If you are concerned about how to detect a scam call, the FTC has a recording of what a social security scam call sounds like. 

If you receive one of these scam calls, you can report it to the FTC. 

If you have any questions about this article or would like to learn more, feel free to contact your Baron Team.