How to verify legitimate Social Security calls vs scams - worried about identity theft

Those were definitely scammers. The SSA will NEVER call you asking for your full SSN, banking details, or other personal information. Here's how to verify legitimate communications: 1. SSA typically communicates by mail, not phone, unless you've scheduled a call with them 2. COLA increases happen automatically - they don't call to "process" them 3. For the letter, call the official SSA number (1-800-772-1213) directly, not any number in the letter 4. Check for poor grammar, urgent language, or threats of benefit suspension 5. Real SSA letters have official letterhead, your claim number, and usually specific details about your case You can also check your MySocialSecurity account online to see if there are any legitimate notices posted there. You did the right thing telling your mom not to give any information!

this happens to my grandpa all the time!!! its DEF a scam. real ss never calls u first asking for ssn or bank info. they already have that stuff!!! dont call the # on the letter either. my grandpa almost got scammed last yr cuz the letter looked super real. always call the REAL ss number to check.

I got a similar call few months back about my wife's benefits. Turned out to be a COMPLETE SCAM!! The SSA does NOT make random calls asking for personal information. NEVER give out your SSN, bank info, or Medicare number over the phone unless YOU initiated the call to the official SSA number. For the letter - here's what I learned: scammers are getting very sophisticated with their fake letters. Check if the letter has: - Misspellings or grammar errors - Weird formatting or fuzzy logo - Generic greeting instead of your name - Threats about losing benefits if you don't act fast Your mom should bring that letter to the local SSA office if she's worried. Better safe than sorry!

The Social Security Administration will occasionally call people, but ONLY if: 1. You have already applied for benefits and they need additional information 2. You specifically requested a phone appointment 3. You contacted them first and they're returning your call Anyone calling out of the blue claiming to be SSA and asking for personal information is almost certainly a scammer. Same goes for unsolicited emails or text messages. For verifying letters, call the main SSA number (1-800-772-1213), not any number printed in the suspicious letter. Ask if they actually sent you something. Or take the letter to your local Social Security office. You can also report scams to the Office of the Inspector General at https://oig.ssa.gov/

My Mom had the same thing happen!!! The scammers are getting so good at this stuff its scary. They knew her name, address, and even that she was getting SS benefits! She almost gave them her bank info before i stopped her. These people are CRIMINALS and they prey on seniors. The real social security administration already has all your info, they dont need to call and ask for it again!!!!!

When I got suspicious calls claiming to be from Social Security, I was really frustrated trying to reach a real person at SSA to verify. Kept getting busy signals and disconnected after waiting forever. I finally tried Claimyr.com which got me through to an actual SSA agent in about 20 minutes instead of the hours I was waiting before. They confirmed my suspicions - SSA wasn't trying to contact me at all! You can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The agent told me they're seeing tons of these scams targeting older people lately. They also verified what others said - they don't call about COLA increases, those happen automatically.

I work with seniors at a community center, and unfortunately, we see these Social Security scams all the time. Here's my advice based on what the SSA has officially stated: 1. SSA employees will NEVER threaten you or promise benefit increases in exchange for information 2. They will NEVER demand immediate payment via gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency 3. They will NEVER demand secrecy about a problem with your Social Security number or benefits For the letter, examine it carefully. Official SSA letters have: - Your specific information (name, last 4 of SSN) - Clear explanation of why they're contacting you - Official letterhead with crisp printing - Contact information that matches official SSA numbers When in doubt, visit your local SSA office in person with the letter.

This MAKES ME SO MAD!!! These scammers prey on our parents and grandparents who didn't grow up with all this technology and scams. The govt needs to do MORE to stop this!!! My dad got taken for $4000 last year by someone claiming his SS number was compromised. He was SO EMBARRASSED he didn't even tell me until months later when his bank account was overdrafted. REPORT EVERY SCAM!!

To elaborate on verifying legitimate letters: 1. Look at the return address - official SSA letters come from: Social Security Administration [Regional Office Address] or Social Security Administration PO Box 17750 Baltimore, MD 21235-7750 2. Real SSA letters include: - Your claim number (usually your SSN with a letter suffix) - Specific details about YOUR situation, not vague statements - Clear explanation of any action needed - Multiple ways to contact them 3. When in doubt, ignore the contact information in the suspicious letter and use the official channels: - Call 1-800-772-1213 - Visit SSA.gov - Go to your local office Always report scams to the Office of Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov/report or 1-800-269-0271.

As someone who works in elder fraud prevention, I want to emphasize something important - the fact that your mom is asking questions and you're involved shows she's already doing better than many scam victims. A few additional protective measures I recommend: 1. Set up a "code word" system - if SSA ever legitimately needs to call (which is rare), they can reference information only they would know from her file 2. Consider putting her number on the Do Not Call Registry at donotcall.gov 3. If possible, have her route unknown calls to voicemail first - legitimate government agencies will leave detailed messages The anger from the caller when she wouldn't provide her SSN is a CLASSIC scammer tell. Real government employees are trained to be patient and understanding when people are cautious about sharing personal information. You're being a great advocate for your mom. These scammers are unfortunately very sophisticated and specifically target seniors because they're more trusting of authority figures. Keep documenting these attempts and reporting them - it helps law enforcement track patterns.

Just wanted to add that you can also check your mom's credit report for free at annualcreditreport.com to make sure no accounts were opened using any information these scammers might have gotten. Even if she didn't give them her full SSN, they sometimes already have partial information from data breaches and use these calls to fill in the gaps. Also, many phones now have built-in spam call blocking - if your mom has a smartphone, it's worth setting that up. For landlines, most phone companies offer call blocking services too. One more thing - if your mom banks online, consider setting up account alerts for any transactions or changes. That way you'll both get notified immediately if anything suspicious happens with her accounts. The good news is that COLA increases for 2025 are already set and will show up automatically in her December payment - no action needed from her at all! You can check the official announcement on SSA.gov.