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Scammers Are Impersonating the Social Security Administration, FTC Warns

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Watch out, taxpayers: There’s a new Social Security scam on the rise, just in time for tax season. Now, scammers are calling people and claiming to be from the Social Security Administration, according the the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

The FTC keeps getting reports about calls from these government imposters, who tell people that there is a “computer problem,” and because of that, they need to confirm their Social Security numbers. Additionally, they’ve received reports of bogus websites claiming to be the right places for people to change their Social Security numbers if needed. These calls and these websites are all part of a ploy for scammers to steal people’s personal information — and to potentially steal their identities.

Yikes! Isn’t it unnerving knowing that there are people out there trying to trick innocent private citizens into giving up one of the most valuable personal details about their identities? Luckily, the FTC has released some great tips to deal with these scam artists on their website — and you’ll want to take notes on their expert information below.

How to Respond to New Social Security Scam

  1. Don’t give the caller your information. Never give out or confirm sensitive information – like your bank account, credit card, or Social Security number – unless you know who you’re dealing with. If someone has contacted you, you can’t be sure who they are.

  2. Don’t trust a name or number. Con artists use official-sounding names to make you trust them. To make their call seem legitimate, scammers use internet technology to spoof their area code – so although it may seem they are calling from Washington, DC, they could be calling from anywhere in the world.

  3. Check with the Social Security Administration. The SSA has a warning about these scams and suggests you contact them directly at 1-800-772-1213 to verify the reason for the contact and the person’s identity prior to providing any information to the caller.

h/t Federal Trade Commission

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