Beware the blitz of Social Security scam phonecalls

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

By Joel Connelly, SeattlePI

Eight times in a single day last week, on both my cell phone and land line, an authoritative recorded voice told me he was calling from Social Security and that my number had been suspended because of criminal activity.

I was given a number to call -- actually, four numbers overall -- to "verify" my number so it could be reinstated.

What triggered the blitz? The AARP, in a warning entitled "Social Security Scams," puts it in a nutshell:

"Social Security numbers are the skeleton key to identity theft. And what better way to get someone's Social Security number than by pretending to be from Social Security?"

Other friends, mainly seniors, were receiving similar robocalls. The Federal Trade Commission reported a surge in Social Security scams late last year. The state Dept. of Financial Institutions recently put out a memo entitled"Recent Rise in Social Security Scams."

According to AARP, tens of thousands of people get called each day. The calls aim to get personal information and/or steal directly from you.

-more-

https://www.seattlepi.com/local/politics/article/Connelly-Beware-the-blitz-of-Social-Security-14189035.php?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dailynewsletterspi&utm_term=spi

[cilla4progress]

1. K&R

for visibility.

[Niagara]

2. Kicking for visibility! n/t

[orleans]

3. i got the call

telling me my "number has been suspend"

clue number 1

[SunSeeker]

4. I got 4 of these calls yesterday. Each time I blocked the number, they called on a new number.

That is one aggressive scam.

[SoCalNative]

9. I got 2 yesterday

from 2 different "800" numbers

[SunSeeker]

10. But same lame recording, right? nt

[SoCalNative]

11. Yes

Both said that my SS number had been compromised at the southern border, and that I should press 1 now to speak to an agent. And that was left in voicemail as I don't answer calls from numbers that I don't recognize.

[Boomerproud]

22. Yes. Exactly the same as you.

I hung up of coarse. Who is behind this?

[Demovictory9]

14. i gpt the call daily for about two weeks.

[TeamPooka]

5. I've been getting a shit load of these, on my cell and land line. They roll over to different number

calling from each time too
fuckers

[MineralMan]

6. The Social Security Administration does not call people.

Hell, you can barely get through to a human being there. Even so, they do not initiate calls like this. When someone says,

"This is Linda from Social Security," just hang up. Her name isn't Linda, and she's a stone cold thief.

The SSA communicates through the USPS.

[SunSeeker]

12. LOL, exactly. nt

[lunatica]

17. With their government seal on full display

[Tracer]

21. Not exactly true MM.

I received a call from the nearest Social Security office some time ago.

The woman on the line asked for "my name" in a very hesitant voice. I said this is "my name", and she literally went "whew!", and then explained that I was listed as deceased, and was glad to learn that I wasn't!

Turned out that my SS number had an incorrect letter that made it look like I was an old railroad worker.

I did have to present myself at the SS office with proof of my identity, but that was easily done.

[Iliyah]

7. Same here, twice . . .

I deleted the number.

[Wounded Bear]

8. Got a few of those. After a momentary feeling of panic, I ignored them

SS does not cold call people. They will call if there is an ongoing action going on with your account that you have been in contact with them for. But never out of the blue.

If you are not in the middle of an ongoing communication with SS, you can blow these off.

[Demovictory9]

15. and soc sec does not suspend your ssn.

[nolabear]

13. I got three yesterday. Wonder what's up.

Maybe just a random decision to snowjob people but I wonder if there’s some anxiety they’re playing off of.

[Demovictory9]

16. Kick for visibility

[UTUSN]

18. I got one a couple of weeks ago a day after a local tv report about a veteran getting it

Yes, the recording says the SSA account has been suspended and benefits cut off. The solution is to call the SSA for Office of Inspector General - if you can get through to a working number and past the bureaucratically tangled automatic menu, which then tells you by recording to send the report via a form on the website, helpfully informing that nobody will be calling you back.

[coolcat_riley]

19. Ignore them

I've just Googled up about this and found some reports filed at https://www.whycall.me/332-331-8595.html recently. I think people need to know about this scam trick by now. They have been around for years!

[Everyman Jackal]

20. I have received only one of tyhgese calls.

Maybe that is because when the man came on I asked him for his name and address so I could turn it over to the FBI.

[Stuart G]

23. Thanks for posting...K and R. Yes, I get some calls every day.

Sometimes about this or that. And always their end game is to get "personal information"