Protect Yourself Against Fraud

The Board partnered with SSA and OIG to raise awareness of government imposter scams and help the public protect themselves from fraud. Our efforts are to educate the public to be on the lookout for fake calls, texts, emails, messages on social media, or letters in the mail.

Scammers are Impersonating Government Employees

There are several ongoing government impersonation scams. Scammers pretend to be from an agency you know, say there’s a problem, pressure you to act immediately, and tell you to pay in a specific way. They include these scenarios:

“We’re from SSA, and your benefits will end unless you pay.”
“We’re from the IRS, and you owe taxes.”
“We need you to give your Medicare number to get a new card.”

Hang Up or Ignore Suspicious Calls, Texts, or Emails

Government employees will never threaten you or demand immediate payment. They may even threaten you’ll be arrested if you don’t pay. If you receive a suspicious call:

Hang up
Don’t believe them
Don’t trust your caller ID
Don’t give them money
Don’t give them personal information

Report Scams to the Appropriate Agency

If you receive a suspicious call, text, or email, ignore it, and report it!

If it mentions Social Security, report it to ssa.gov/report.
If it is a different government imposter scam, report it to ftc.gov.

Additional Resources

Social Security Administration, “Protect Yourself from Social Security Scams.”
Federal Trade Commission, “How to Avoid a Government Impersonation Scam.”
Federal Trade Commission, “What to Do if You Were Scammed.”