Fake Calls About Your Social Security Number

The Federal Trade Commission reports that it had been receiving a number of reports about scams involving social security numbers. The scammers say that your social security number has been linked to a crime and that your number is being blocked and there is a fee to either unblock or get a new number.

The scammers request verification of your social security number. Other variations include threatening your social security benefits or indicating that your social security number has been used to obtain a credit card. Even if it appears that the call is coming from the phone number for the Social Security Administration computers can make any number appear on the caller ID so do not rely upon that.

The Social Security Administration will never call and ask for your social security number, ask for a fee or threaten your benefits. If you receive such a call. Hang up and call the Social Security Administration directly at 1 -800 772-1213.

Do Not Provide Anyone Your Social Security Number in response to a phone call requesting such information. Always independently verify the number for the agency, bank or credit card company that may be requesting the number and call them directly to determine if there is a legitimate need to provide any private sensitive information.