Social Security Will Never Call to Threaten You

The phone rings and a serious voice says there is a problem with your Social Security number. Maybe it was used in a crime. Maybe your benefits are about to be suspended. The caller has a badge number, the caller ID says Social Security Administration, and unless you act right now, you could be arrested.

Every word of that call is false, and it is one of the most common scams in America. Complaints about government imposter scams jumped 25 percent this past year, passing 330,000, and reported losses run into the hundreds of millions of dollars annually. The people hit hardest are people our age.

Here is the single fact that protects you: Social Security does not make threatening phone calls. Not ever. They will not call to say your number is suspended, because Social Security numbers cannot be suspended. They will not threaten arrest. And no government agency, not Social Security, not the IRS, not Medicare, will ever demand payment by gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency. The moment anyone on the phone mentions gift cards, you are talking to a criminal. There are no exceptions to that rule.

The IRS version works the same way. A caller claims you owe back taxes and the police are on their way unless you pay today. The real IRS starts with letters in the mail, not phone calls, and it never demands a specific payment method over the phone.

Do not trust your caller ID, either. Scammers can make any name and number appear on your screen, including the real Social Security phone number. The screen tells you nothing about who is actually calling.

These calls work because they are frightening, and frightened people act fast. I understand that better than most. Sharon and I lost a large amount of money to a scammer, and the pressure to act immediately was the heart of the whole thing. A real government agency gives you time, sends letters, and lets you call back. A scammer needs you to act before you think.

So here is what to do. Hang up. You do not need to be polite to someone impersonating a federal officer. If you are worried there might be a real issue, call Social Security yourself at 1-800-772-1213, the number printed on their letters and on ssa.gov. If the call was a scam, report it at oig.ssa.gov. It takes a few minutes and it helps investigators.

If you have a friend who lives alone or answers every call, mention this to them. One conversation over coffee can save someone their life savings.

Pete