These days, you have to think twice about every text, email, and phone call you receive regarding legal action for overpayments of Social Security or requesting you unusually pay them, it may be a fraud that a scammer is trying to trick you.
How To Identify A Social Security Fraud – Here’s What You Need To Know (PHOTO: Forbes)
What Does A Scammer Do?
Scams are large businesses to the criminals who engage in them for the sad reason that they work. Moreover, most scammers are pretending to be government employees. They may threaten you and may require you to pay immediately to avoid arrest or other legal action. These fraud criminals persist to evolve and find new advances to steal your money and personal information.
Here’s How To Spot A Fraud
Scammers use phone calls, emails, text messages, and letters to imitate Social Security personnel and trick people into giving up personal information.
- Threats
If you receive a live phone call or a voice message, that threatens you about your Social Security number or benefits always remember that the Social Security Administration (SSA) will never threaten you with arrest even if you fail to pay a fine or fees.
- Email Requests
Another sign of possible fraud is an email that appears to be from the SSA. The SSA will send you a letter with payment instructions and choices if you need to make a payment by mail. Government payments and fines should never be settled with store gift cards, internet currency, or wire transfers. Scammers prefer this kind of payment since it’s tough to track them down and get their money back.
David Wurst, owner, and CEO of Webcitz said that you can often spot scam emails because they contain misspellings or grammar mistakes, “The letters may contain government jargon or official-looking letterhead in an attempt to persuade victims.
- Asking For Your Social Security Number
If the person tells you that he/she is from the SSA and asks you to confirm your Social Security number (SSN), then it’s a scam, Kerry Sherin, a consumer advocate at BeenVerified, said. “The SSA will not reach you to verify your SSN pin.”
- Do’s and Don’ts
protect yourself by not answering. “A response can lead you to their call list and can draw engagement from scammers who will attempt to trick you in the future” so it’s better to hang up a suspicious phone call.
Don’t provide personal information. “Unless you have prior transactions with the caller, be discreet in providing any information. Verify the caller. If you are skeptical, ask for the caller’s name and phone number and then contact the SSA at 800-772-1213 to confirm the information.
In general, to be scam-free be cautious and don’t just give away your information unless you absolutely can verify the source, and don’t send any form of payment.
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