Slam the Scam
From the Public Affairs Specialist from the Social Security Administration.
Chances are someone you know has received an ominous call or message from someone pretending to be from the government, alleging that your information has been compromised or demanding immediate payment. Ignore it.
This is just one of the tips that the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (SSA OIG) is sharing to warn consumers about these scams through a National Slam the Scam Day initiative taking place March 10, 2022. The initiative, which began in 2020 to combat Social Security related scams, is now expanding to include other government imposter scams. In a government imposter scam, someone claims to be an SSA, or another government employee, and may ask for personal information, demand payment, or make threats. These scams primarily use the telephone, but scammers may also use email, text messages, social media, or U.S. mail. SSA OIG urges everyone to be cautious of any contact supposedly from a government agency telling you about a problem you don’t recognize and provides the following tips. Real government officials will NEVER:
- threaten arrest or legal action against you unless you immediately send money;
- promise to increase your benefits or resolve a problem if you pay a fee or move your money into a protected account;
- require payment with gift cards, prepaid debit cards, wire transfer, Internet currency, or by mailing cash; or
- try to gain your trust by providing fake “documentation,” false “evidence,” or the name of a real government official.
Additional resources for the press and public can be found in the Press Kit. The public is encouraged to report Social Security-related scams and fraud online at https://oig.ssa.gov. Other government imposter scams may be reported to the Federal Trade Commissionhttps://www.ftc.gov/scams. Join us on Facebook and Twitter to follow along on National Slam the Scam Day using #SlamTheScam and visit https://oig.ssa.gov/scam for more information.
