Social security impostor complaints break record in 2020



SSA CHIEF ‘DEEPLY TROUBLED’ “I’m deeply troubled that crooks are still deceiving Americans,” Saul told reporters. He said his agency’s programs require interaction with the public, adding,

“We cannot afford to have fraud affect that communication or the public’s trust in us.” Saul, who said that even he and his wife had been contacted by a Social Security impostor, appears in

a 2020 public service announcement (PSA) about these scams. The announcement has been viewed more than 206 million times. The goal of impostor scammers is to get people to turn over money or

sensitive personal information. Often the criminals instill fear in their victims, telling them there is a problem with their Social Security number or account and threatening them with

arrest. Some victims are told their Social Security numbers have been linked to crimes. NEW TACTIC: FAKE ID BADGES In a new twist, impostors are using the names of real officials at the SSA

or its Office of the Inspector General, a watchdog agency, and sending victims photos of fabricated government ID badges, Saul said. Or the fraudster will try to lend legitimacy to a scam by

citing a badge number, he said. What should people do if they get one of these calls? The first thing, said Saul, is hang up. “Don’t engage with the caller. Hang up,” he said. “Never

provide the caller with personal information or money, cash, gift cards, wire transfers or prepaid debit cards.”  3 Ways to Keep Your Social Security Number Safe He also stressed the

importance of reporting the scam to this website. SCAMMERS EXPLOIT EMOTIONS Ennis said legitimate SSA employees will never send another person a photo of their official government IDs.

Discussing the tactics bad actors use, she said, “Scammers prey on what psychologists describe as a habitual reliance on people in authority, and they sometimes keep victims in a state of

isolation and heightened emotion to cloud their judgments.”