10 Tips to Avoid Social Security Scams and Fraud

Unfortunately, Social Security scams and fraudulent activity are not just a possibility but happen daily to good people. The hope is that by knowing what to look for, you can be on watch to make sure that something nefarious doesn’t happen to you. 

Whether it’s a phone call impersonating the Social Security Administration or an email that looks awfully close to the real thing, it’s important to remember that Social Security employees don’t contact the public by telephone. If there is any issue, a letter will be sent home. 

10. Four Signs of a Scam

According to the official Social Security website, there are four signs that a scammer will use to try and get your personal information. They will 1) pretend to be from an agency or organization that you know and trust, 2) say there is a problem or prize available for cooperating, 3) pressure you to act immediately, and 4) tell you that payment has to be made in a specific way. 

Known Tactics

If you are the recipient of any of these four signs, you will likely be threatened with legal action or arrest if you fail to comply with the scammer’s demands. You should also be on the lookout for any request to use cryptocurrency, cash, wire transfer, or prepaid debit card to make any payments. 

9. Fake Job Offers

Once a rarity, a new Social Security scam is looking to get your Social Security number by creating a fake job offer. These offers are not directly related to working with any official government body but look to put you on the payroll by requiring your Social Security number for processing. 

Avoid, Avoid, Avoid

Unless you are 100% positive the job is real, whether it’s from the Social Security Administration or not, you should be very wary where and how you provide your Social Security number. If you are filling it out online, research the website and ensure it’s an official background check or processing page. 

8. Overpayment Scams

Yet another phone call opportunity for fake Social Security employees is to contact you, claiming you have been overpaid benefits and demanding you repay the government. Of course, they ask for repayment through nefarious methods like wire transfers or prepaid cards while giving you fake case numbers. 

This Isn’t Real

The Social Security Administration will never demand repayment of benefits over the phone or through any unconventional method. If you legitimately feel you have received an overpayment, contact the Social Security Administration directly and request official documentation to assist with repayment. 

7. Fake Benefit Claims

This is a genuinely sinister Social Security scam, and one that ties directly to identity theft. With this scam, thieves steal your Social Security number and file a fake retirement or disability claim. The scam here is that they will ask for the benefits to be redirected to a new account or receive them on a prepaid debit card, leaving little opportunity for you to reclaim the funds. 

Monitor Your Information

Just as you would with identity theft, your first move should be to contact the credit bureaus and freeze your credit. You should also monitor your Social Security account to look for activity. In addition, add a six-digit PIN to your Social Security account that prevents others from filing taxes under your number. 

6. Social Media

The hope is that you will never be subjected to someone trying to impersonate a Social Security official on social media platforms, but it can and does happen. They might use official-sounding names or create profiles based on actual employees and offer to help you out through a private message. 

Don’t Fall For This

If this ever happens, ignore the conversation immediately, as Social Security officials will never communicate with you through non-official channels. However, you could go one step further and check the account history, as these profiles are often very new and don’t have any personal information other than a name, job title, or photo. 

5. Fake Websites

Given the size of the World Wide Web, it’s not uncommon for someone to make a typo while entering a website address and land on what looks like the official Social Security Administration website. These websites often look exactly like the real thing, but they have a single letter or number off in their domain. 

Pay Close Attention

The best way to avoid potential Social Security issues is to type ssa.gov directly into your browser of choice and make sure the URL ends in .gov. If you have any questions about the website, exit the page, reopen it, and retype the appropriate address. 

4. Identity Theft

One of the most essential tips to be on the lookout for is through the use of stolen Social Security numbers. This can happen because someone takes this information from you if you have clicked on a link in a fraudulent email, entered your personal information, or given it by phone to a spoofed caller. 

Prevent Identity Theft

If you feel you are the subject of Social Security theft, you should monitor your account at SSA.gov/myaccount to see any unauthorized changes or activity. You should also freeze your credit at all three credit bureaus, which is free to do, to prevent any credit card accounts, mortgages, or vehicle purchases from being opened up in your name. 

3. Fake Letters

The Social Security Administration does send letters via snail mail if there are any issues, so this is arguably one of the most essential tips to be on the lookout for. The hope is that you can quickly identify anything fraudulent based on whether it’s asking for personal information or payment, or you can locate spelling errors or incorrect addresses. 

Compare And Contrast

If you have concerns about a letter, compare it to any previous snail mail correspondence you might have available. If not, contact the Social Security Administration directly through the official government website and ask if anything indicated in the potentially fraudulent letter is correct. 

2. Phishing Emails

It’s unfortunate just how good phishing emails have gotten over the years, especially from official government programs like the Social Security Administration or the IRS. If you receive an email that advises you to make an “urgent” update to your account and provides you with a link, do not click on anything. 

Delete The Email 

There is no reality in which the Social Security Administration will send you unsolicited email requesting personal information. More importantly, legitimate emails will come from a .gov email address, not .com, .net, or anything similar. The biggest reminder is never to click on a link and, instead, go to the Social Security website and log in to see if you have to make any updates. 

1. Social Security Calls

Again, it’s important to emphasize that any phone call impersonating the Social Security Administration will be fake. This is doubly true if you receive any comment that there is something wrong with your account and want to take action to avoid any legal threats, none of which is true. 

Avoiding Telephone Fraud

The reality is that there is a good likelihood that it can spoof a phone number that looks like it’s coming from an official Social Security organization. However, if someone claims to be from the SSA, hang up the phone immediately, especially if you are pressured to make a payment or divulge personal details, including your Social Security number, which legitimate Social Security staff won’t ask for. 

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