Social Security number alert scam

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office is warning the public about a nationwide scam that has affected thousands and resulted in the loss of over $10 million in the last year. The Federal Trade Commission has issued an advisory due to numerous consumer complaints that there are imposters who are impersonating the Social Security Administration (SSA) in an attempt to get your social security number and your money.  In one version of the scam, the caller says your social security number has been linked to a crime (often, the scammer says it happened in Texas) involving drugs or sending money out of the country illegally. The scammer then says your social is blocked – but might ask you for a fee to reactivate them, or to get a new number, by first having you confirm your current social security number. In other variations, impersonators say that someone has used your Social Security number to apply for credit cards, and you could lose your benefits. You may be warned that your bank account is about to be seized, that you need to withdraw your money, and then be told how you can keep your money safe. ALL of the aforementioned are scams.
Tips for Protecting Yourself from SSA Scams (via FTC):
• The SSA will never call and ask for your Social Security number, to pay anything, or threaten your benefits.
• Your caller ID might show the SSA’s real phone number (1-800-772-1213), but that is not the real SSA calling. Computers make it easy to show any number on caller ID. You can’t trust what you see there.
• Never give your Social Security number to anyone who contacts you. Don’t confirm the last 4 digits.
• Don’t give a bank account or credit card number – ever – to anybody who contacts you asking for it.
• Remember that anyone who tells you to wire money, pay with a gift card, or send cash is a scammer.

If you’re worried about a call from someone who claims to be from the Social Security Administration, get off the phone. Then call the real SSA at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). If you’ve spotted a scam, then tell the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint.