Educating the public about social security and other government impostor scams is the goal of ‘Slam the Scam Day,’ which takes place this Thursday.
Awareness is the most powerful tool in the fight against con artists. This is why the FTC organizes Slam the Fraud Day every year.
Social Security Scams
According to the FTC, Americans would lose more than $509 million as a result of imposter scams in 2022.
These con artists pose as representatives of the social security administration or another government agency, and they could demand money, make threats, or seek for personal information.
Scammers typically conduct these frauds over the phone, but they may also do it by email, text, social media, or mail.
Investigators advise you to be cautious if you receive correspondence purporting to be from a government entity and informing you of a situation you are unfamiliar with.
According to the FTC, the genuine government will never demand money right now in exchange for a threat of arrest or legal action.
Read more: Don’t miss your three tax credits; Here’s what you need to know!
Different Methods Scammers Use
Scammers use four different techniques, including pretending to be from a reputable agency or organization, claiming there is a problem or offering a prize, pressuring recipients to take immediate action, and instructing recipients to pay them a certain way. Social Security recipients should be aware of these four techniques.
Additionally, threatening recipients with arrest or legal action if they do not pay money right away, suspending one’s social security number, claiming to need personal information or payment to activate a benefit increase, requesting payments via gift cards, prepaid debit cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or mailing cash, threatening to seize one’s bank account, offering to move one’s money to a protected bank account, having a demand for payment made through gift cards, prepaid debit cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency
Never click on links or attachments in strange emails, social media messages, or phone calls that you receive as an SSA recipient.
Also, they must safeguard their private information and use caution whenever someone purporting to represent a law enforcement or government organization tries to explain a situation they are unfamiliar with.
Read more: Social Security: Who could get $914 payments this March 25?