On March 9, 2023, the Social Security Administration is hosting a National “Slam the Scam” Day! The Social Security Administration is working hard to help Americans recognize scams related to Social Security related issues!
The Social Security Administration has identified four common signs of scams:
1. Fraudsters commonly pretend to be from a familiar agency such as the Social Security Administration or your local law enforcement department. Fraudsters commonly send official looking emails or call from local area codes that appear to be legitimate.
2. Fraudsters will state there is a problem with your account or that you owe payments to their agency. Fraudsters may state that your personal information was involved in a crime and ask you to verify your information.
3. Fraudsters will pressure you to act right away. If you fail to meet their demands, they may threaten you with legal action or that you could be arrested.
4. Most Importantly to remember, Scammers will demand payment from you through gift cards, prepaid debit cards, wire or personal transfers, and also by mailing cash. Fraudsters will try to convince you that this is to make your money safe, but this is a scam!
What action to take:
If you receive an unexpected call from PSCU or any other financial institution or agency, call us or that agency directly to ensure it was legitimate. If you receive unexpected emails or phone calls, ignore the scammers and do not respond. Never give your personal information out over the phone or via email!
If you believe the scam is related to a Social Security Number issue, you can contact SSA Office of the Inspector General (OIG) online at: https://secure.ssa.gov/ipff/home?utm_campaign=oig-scam-23&utm_content=report-a-scam-cta-feb2023&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
You can also visit www.ssa.gov/scam for more information and follow SSA OIG on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to stay up to date on the latest scam tactics.
Let's #SlamtheScam PSCU!