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How to Avoid Social Security Scams: Spot the Red Flags and Protect Yourself

Social Security scams are one of the most common and costly forms of fraud targeting Americans today.  Bank of the James is committed to helping you stay safe from this type of fraud by staying informed and providing opportunities to educate.

Criminals impersonate officials from the Social Security Administration (SSA), the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), or even the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to try to trick you into handing over money or personal information.

These scams can arrive by phone, email, text, letter, or social media message. The scammers may even use real employee names, spoof government phone numbers, or send official-looking documents to gain your trust.

However, once you know the warning signs, you can protect yourself and help spread awareness to your friends and loved ones.

4 signs you’re dealing with a Social Security scam

Most Social Security-related scams follow a similar playbook. Watch out if you begin getting messages and they follow a pattern:

  1. They pretend to be from a government agency you know, especially SSA or OIG.
  2. They say there’s a problem or prize, like suspicious activity on your Social Security number or a sudden benefit increase.
  3. They pressure you to act immediately, creating a sense of panic.
  4. They tell you to pay in a specific, and often strange, way, like gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers, or mailing cash.

Now, scammers are constantly evolving their playbook. But the reddest flag to look out for is the sense of urgency – the idea that something really good or really bad is about to happen, and you need to act fast. Scammers play on your emotions to try to get you to act before thinking.

What Social Security will never do

If you get a suspicious message, remember:

  • SSA will never threaten you with arrest or legal action for not paying immediately.
  • SSA will never suspend your Social Security number.
  • SSA will never ask for payment to activate a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) or benefit increase.
  • SSA will never demand secrecy or direct message you on social media.
  • SSA will never request payment via gift cards, prepaid debit cards, wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or cash in the mail.

If someone does any of the above, stop replying. They’re a scammer.

The Social Security scammer bag of tricks

Criminals keep updating their tactics and some can be scarily convincing. You might encounter:

Spoofed phone numbers that look like government or local police lines.

Fake social media accounts using SSA logos, photos, and jargon.

Official-looking documents sent through email, text, or postal mail.

AI-powered scams, including voice cloning, to make fake messages sound more convincing.

How To Avoid Being Scammed

To verify SSA’s official social media accounts, visit: Social Media Hub | SSA

How to protect yourself from Social Security scams

If you get an unexpected message claiming to be from SSA:

  1. Stay calm. Scammers often create urgency to cloud your judgment.
  2. Hang up or ignore the message. Don’t click links or open attachments. Initiate communication with SSA through official channels.
  3. Don’t send money. Never send payment in untraceable ways like gift cards, crypto, or wire transfers.
  4. Guard your personal information. If the message mentions a problem you’ve never heard of, especially if they already know some of your personal details, be skeptical.
  5. Spread the word. Share scam warnings with friends and family, especially seniors who are frequent targets.

How to report a Social Security scam

Reporting scams helps authorities track criminals and warn others.

  • Report directly to SSA OIG
  • If you’re unsure what type of scam it is, use the USA.gov scam reporting tool to find the right agency
  • You can report the scam to the FBI and other federal law enforcement agencies through IC3.

What To Do If You’ve Been Scammed

If you think you’ve given money or personal information to a scammer:

  • Stop all contact with them immediately.
  • Notify the three credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, to place a fraud alert on your credit report. Freeze your credit with all three bureaus.
  • Protect your Social Security number, although you may need to request a replacement card or new SSN.
  • If money was stolen, contact your bank and local law enforcement for further steps.

Keep your Social Security safe

If someone claims to be from Social Security, pressures you to act fast, or asks for unusual payment – stop, hang up, and report it. The SSA will never threaten you, suspend your SSN, or demand payment through gift cards or cryptocurrency. When in doubt, assume it’s a scam.

Read more about all kinds of ways to stay safe from scammers of all types and keep your personal information as protected as possible on our Resources page at https://www.bankofthejames.bank/resources/    Check back often as Bank of the James is always adding more resources to help protect you and your own resources!

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