Inspector General Warns Social Security Recipients About Automated Call Scams

Tampa, FL (Law Firm Newswire) August 27, 2018 – The Office of the Inspector General recently issued a warning about a persistent phone scam devised by individuals claiming to be calling from the Social Security Administration (SSA).

The scheme involves scammers trying to convince people to reveal their personal information such as Social Security details and bank account numbers over the phone. Cases have been documented of callers declaring they are from SSA headquarters and asking individuals to confirm their personal information such as Social Security number, address and birthdate.

“The growing reports of such scams mean that people need to be extra cautious about divulging their personal information over the phone,” said Florida social security disability attorney David W. Magann. “Social Security and other government agencies usually have a specific process in place for contacting people. If you’re unsure about whether the call is from a trusted source, it is best to hang up and call an official number for verification.”

The majority of such scams are conducted using automated recordings, also known as “robocalls.” Victims typically receive a robocall stating there is an important message about their Social Security account or that their Social Security number (SSN) “has been suspended for suspicion of illegal activity.” The scammer then tells the individual their account may have been compromised and that their benefits will be frozen if they fail to call a specific phone number right away to solve the problem.

The SSA warned that people who return the call to the scammers and provide their personal information risk suffering identity theft and having their money stolen. Acting Inspector General of Social Security Gale Stallworth Stone urged the public to be careful and avoid sharing private information such SSNs or banking details to strangers online or on the phone. He said, “Be aware of suspicious calls from unknown sources, and when in doubt, contact the official entity to verify the legitimacy of the call.”

The SSA advised people to be wary of robocalls that claim to be from a government agency as they normally communicate via mail and do not request private information over the phone. Individuals who receive suspicious calls from someone pretending to be an SSA employee should report them to the Office of the Inspector General online or at 1.800.269.0271.

Learn more at http://www.floridasocialsecurity.com/ David W. Magann, P.A. Main Office: 156 West Robertson Street Brandon, FL 33511 Call: (813) 657-9175 Tampa Office: 18715 N Dale Mabry Hwy Lutz, FL 33548