Have you heard of those IRS scam calls that people often receive? These scammers call and pose as IRS agents and threaten you with arrest to trick you into paying them. Well, these scammers are branching out, and if you are on Social Security Disability, you may be their next target.
Is a New Scam Targeting People on SSDI?
The phone rings and when you pick it up, there’s a recorded message. It tells you that there is something wrong with your Social Security number or account, and you need to call back. The recording gives you a number to speak to a Social Security Administration (SSA) agent, but that might not be who you are calling.
Scammers have been using these recordings to get disability beneficiaries to call them. Once you connect with them, they tell victims that they are in trouble and that you owe the government money. That’s when they instruct victims to pay them in the form of gift cards, iTunes cards and/or prepaid debit cards. This is a red flag!
In other Social Security scam calls, scammers have asked for personally identifiable information over the phone. This info can allow the criminal to steal your identity, so it’s always best that you only give that information out if you’re 100 percent sure that the person on the other side of the phone is trustworthy. If you have even the slightest doubt, don’t give out your info.
Government agencies never ask for payment in gift card or prepaid debit cards. They also rarely threaten arrest. If you suspect that the person you are talking to is not an agent of the SSA, you can call Social Security’s Office of the Inspector General at 800-269-0271 to report the incident. And if you ever want to check with the SSA to make sure your account is okay, call the Social Security customer service line at 800-772-1213. They will be able to confirm if there really is a problem with your account.
This message was brought to you by the Tulsa disability attorneys at Troutman & Troutman—we’re looking out for Oklahomans with disabilities.
