Social Security number phishing is an unfortunate problem that many people who receive Social Security run into over time. Even if you don’t receive Social Security payments, being elderly or disabled can also put you at a higher risk for receiving Social Security number phishing attempts. Plus, because all United States citizens have a Social Security number, anyone can potentially be at risk of Social Security number phishing. Here are five important things to keep in mind so you don’t end up becoming a victim.
1. Random Calls Claiming To Be From the SSA Are Typically Not Genuine
If you ever receive a call claiming to be from the Social Security Administration, but you weren’t expecting a call for any reason, it’s a good idea to hang up. In the extremely unlikely case that it is a genuine call, you can call the SSA back and get all the information you need. Additionally, the SSA will always contact you first by mail, which means you would have had to miss previous attempts by the SSA to contact you.
2. You Should Never Give Out Your Social Security Number to Someone Who’s Called You
If someone has contacted you and they ask for your Social Security number, you should immediately hang up. It is never advisable to give out your Social Security number to someone who’s called you. If you call the SSA, you may provide your Social Security number because you know you’re talking to an actual SSA employee. When someone’s calling you, there’s no way to be sure they are who they say they are.
3. Calls Can Appear To Come From the Official SSA Number and Still Be Scams
On top of the previous point, just because a call appears to be coming from the official phone number of the SSA doesn’t necessarily mean it’s actually the SSA. Caller ID spoofing, which is when a caller fakes the information transmitted to your caller ID, runs rampant among scammers and spammers, and that means a scammer can make it appear as though you’re getting a real call from the SSA. Don’t trust the caller ID—it’s not always fully accurate.
4. The SSA Will Never Threaten You or Request Payment Immediately
Any time a caller starts threatening you or telling you that you need to make payment immediately over the phone if you want to avoid legal consequences, you should hang up. The SSA will never make you pay over the phone to avoid legal consequences, and if there are any legal issues, you’ll always receive notification through the mail. Additionally, make sure you think about ways in which the caller is asking you to pay. The SSA will not have you pay by wire transfer or cryptocurrency.
5. A Robocall Blocker Can Help You Avoid Social Security Number Phishing
Robocall blockers are a great way to avoid many types of Social Security number phishing. While caller ID spoofing is something that can happen, there are just as many scammers who don’t bother and simply call normally. If you use a robocall blocker like IdentityWatch, the free app from PeopleFinders, you can avoid picking up on these scams.
With IdentityWatch, you can know who’s calling you as soon as they place the call, long before you actually pick up the phone. IdentityWatch allows you to get more information about the person behind the call, and it also notifies you if the call is from a known scammer or spammer. With IdentityWatch, you can avoid wasting your time on these annoying calls.
Conclusion
Social Security number phishing is unlikely to go away anytime soon, at least until the FTC discovers an effective way to block robocallers and spammers. However, in the meantime, you can protect yourself by knowing more about how Social Security number phishing scams work, which will make you less likely to fall for them. Use these tips, as well as the IdentityWatch app, to protect yourself and your family members.
Image Attribution: zimmytws – stock.adobe.com
