Protecting Yourself from Social Security Scams

It’s no secret that scammers are always trying to find ways to access your personal information. The November Retirement Confidence Index from SimplyWise, a technology company that helps people make Social Security claiming decisions, found 53% of seniors were a target of Social Security fraud attempts in the past three months.

If you receive a text, email, or phone call from someone claiming to be from the Social Security Administration, think twice before responding. An unsolicited communication is the first clue to a potential fraud attempt. According to Gail Ennis, inspector general at the SSA, “Social Security only makes personal calls in specific circumstances, for instance, if you’ve requested a call back.”

Posing as federal agents and law enforcement is a common tactic used by scammers. They may threaten to suspend your benefits, claim your social security is linked to a crime and even promise a benefit increase in exchange for payment. The three most effective ways to defeat scammers it to:

1. Ignore suspicious calls and emails
2. Never give out your personal information
3. Report any potential scam immediately to the SSA hotline at 1-800-269-0271