Fraud alert against Social Security impostors on “Slam the Scam Day”

One of the most popular ways for criminals to steal money and sensitive information is by impersonating a trusted source – often a government agency such as the Social Security Administration. According to the Federal Trade Commission, victims of government impostor scams reported nearly $509 million stolen from them in 2022.

March 7 is National Slam the Scam Day and the focus this year is stopping Social Security impostor scams. Here are three tips to help you do just that.

• Beware of unexpected calls, texts or emails claiming there is a problem with your Social Security number.
One example is a warning that your number has been linked to criminal activity and suspended. The goal of the scammer is to get you in a heightened emotional state, and this is one common way they do that.

• Second, the Social Security Administration will only call you if you are already engaged in conversations with the agency.

• Finally, you can access your account securely at ssa.gov/myaccount. This will give you a safe and reliable place to check on your account if you ever have questions. 

Be a fraud fighter!  If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam.

Report scams to local law enforcement. Anyone of any age may ask for help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at http://www.aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork