Crooks come out of the digital woodwork and shadows when there are changes in society. With the change in the U.S. government administration, there are many concerns with government programs. In particular, a large segment of the U.S. population is expressing great concern with Social Security, and the returns on their savings investments they’ve made throughout their lives.
Crooks are seizing upon this opportunity, and launching multiple types of attacks, many using bits and pieces of information posted online from those concerned and asking questions in social media sites about their Social Security benefits. These posts often include a wide range of personal information, some here and some there, that give the crooks a view into the posters’ vulnerabilities.
Here are six scam delivery methods these crooks use to try to take advantage of those concerned with their Social Security benefits.
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The U.S. Postal Service. Yes, those old-fashioned scams by hard-copy postal mail are becoming a popular tool again. In January a couple of my neighbors who are retired received a bogus letter claiming to be from the Social Security Administration (SSA). It told them that they were being given a “cost of living adjustment (COLA)” increase of over $400.00 in their monthly benefits and directed them to call a phone number to “start receiving this increase immediately.” They asked me if it was too good to be true. So, I walked them through a few red flags I saw in their letter.
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It had the following image at the top of the letterhead.
The official seal at SSA.GOV looks like this:
While they are very similar, the image in the letter was slightly off; the colors weren’t as vibrant, and the logo looked more oval.
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Next, I called the SSA.GOV phone number (1-800-772-1213; the TTY number is 1-800-325-0778) and asked if the phone number provided in the letter was theirs. It was not.
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The SSA also indicated that the COLA is automatic for all SSA beneficiaries and does not require activation.
So, watch out for postal letters that have suspicious images that don’t exactly match what is on their website, that claim you must call a number to enact benefits, and call the actual SSA phone number and ask if the number in your letter is theirs. Any one of these red flags is a sign of a crook’s scam letter.
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By phone. Crooks still love taking money from their victims through the phone. For example, they’ve been calling increasingly more people here in the greater Des Moines, Iowa area. One person even lost $22,000 to such a crook.
And worse yet, there are freely available tools that crooks use to show the legitimate SSA phone number on your caller ID. And AI tools can make crooks with thick accents sound different, with the same types of accents as those they are targeting, so that they seem like they are someone local or regional to the target victim being called.
If a caller that has what looks to be the SSA phone number tells you they are from the SSA and need your personal information to update the records they have for you, or that they are doing an audit and you need to give them personal data, or make any other type of claim, don’t give them that information. Instead, tell them you cannot talk at the moment, and ask them for their name and phone number. And let them know that you will call them back. Then call the actual SSA phone number, report the call, and see if it is legitimate.
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By email. Crooks have been using emails for crimes ever since people started using emails! Like the postal letter scam described previously, emails often coming from a legitimate-looking email address, that includes the SSA seal, and will often include official looking data, including the sender’s government ID, and often with your own actual social security number. Then, they will direct you to click a link to fill out a form, or to download some nifty new software that they are asking all social security benefit recipients to use. Huge red flags! Make sure you stay aware of the following:
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Many freely available tools can make the sender email address that you see in the email “From” line match those that are legitimate. Don’t base your decision solely on how the sending email address looks.
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Images, such as government seals, are often copied and pasted so disregard those as being an indicator of whether or not the email is legitimate.
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SSA employees will never send an email containing their official government identification information. If the email you receive provides such information, it is from a scammer.
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SSA will never send your social security number via email. If you see that in the email, it is from a scammer.
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Never, ever, ever click a link in an email from an unsolicited sender. That can launch a wide range of cyberattacks, and even steal your phone and computer data, and even lock them up and then try to extort money from you.
When you get such an email, delete it. But if you have any doubt at all, then first call the SSA number to ask if they did indeed send the email before you do anything beyond looking at the email.
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By text. Since most organizations are now sending text messages as one of their primary communication methods, people are very susceptible to automatically clicking a link from the texts that, upon a quick glance, seem legit. Always remember that the SSA will only send text messages if you have opted in to receive texts from them, and only in limited situations, including when you’ve actively chosen to subscribe to receive updates and notifications by text, and when doing security activities, such as multi-factor authentication.
If a text message claiming to be from the SSA seems fishy it may actually be a phishing text. Call the SSA number to ask if they did indeed send the text.
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On social media. Cybercrooks love using social media to scam people, because people love social media! And the social security scams on social media are widespread. But think about it; why would a government agency be commenting on your posts, or sending you a direct message (DM)? Or, why would they be putting up a social media page or group…that is less than a year old? Well, they won’t.
If you have someone using a real SSA employee’s photo, name, email address, etc. who gets in touch with you in some way on a social media site, they are most likely a crook impersonating the SSA. And most long-standing organizations have established their websites, and social media pages and groups, many years ago.
If someone claiming to represent the SSA is telling you information on a social media site, be skeptical! Call the SSA number to ask if they actually do have such a page or group on the social media site.
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In person. Yes, these types of really creepy encounters still occur. Someone may knock at your door claiming to be an SSA agent, and say they have money for you because you overpaid, or that you may be eligible for increased benefits. Or, they may use one of the previous tactics to arrange to meet you in person to give you a check or even a cash payment. They may even flash a badge to look official. Beware! These types of tactics are not only creepy, they can be very dangerous; they can put you in physical danger.
SSA agents will never ask you to meet them in person to hand off cash, or show up at the door. Don’t let a stranger claiming to be from the SSA in your home, and don’t meet them somewhere (unless it’s a police station that you’ve notified ahead of time). Call the SSA and report these situations, and call 911 if they persist at your home.
There are increasingly more crooks trying to take advantage of the general public’s concerns about their Social Security benefits. Stay aware!
Always be skeptical if you are contacted unexpectedly by someone claiming to be from the SSA. It is always better to confirm their identity than end up being conned and possibly losing a lot of money, and going through a lot of stress. Call the SSA number to check out any such contacts made with you, or to your friends and family.
These scam attempts can also be reported at oig.ssa.gov. More information is also located at www.ssa.gov/scam.