security services
December 27th, 2009 by sheriftoms
Scam artists hide in every dark corner, but sometimes they come out of the woodwork and fool their targets simply by being bold. One of the methods by which they do this is posing as a representative of the government. Social security scams are quite common, but here are the top four and how you can avoid them.
1- Social Security Services
One of the most common social security scams consists of a simple letter, which usually looks like it comes from the Social Security Administration. The letterhead, language, envelope and signature all seem to be legitimate. The scam, which is brilliant in its simplicity, involves asking the recipient for his or her personal information in order to conduct a specific service, such as providing a new social security number for an infant or monitoring your number for potential fraud.
In some cases, however, the letter won't ask for any personally identifiable information, but will request an upfront payment for the service. You might be asked to contribute $20, $50 or $100, depending on the type of service offered. Of course, the SSA provides these services for free, and the check will go to a P.O. box owned by the scammer. If you receive such a letter in the mail, report it to the SSA at their web site.
2- Extra Cash
If you are on disability and receive a check from the SSA every month, you could be a target of this common social security scam. Essentially, you'll be contacted by phone or by mail, and the sender will inform you that you qualify for an additional check each month to cover your expenses. They might cite changes in legislation or errors in previous calculation; whatever the case, you might feel like you've won the lottery.
Of course, no such extra check will come in the mail after you send back the form, filled out with your name, birth date and social security number. Instead, your identity will be stolen (and perhaps your checks as well), and future benefits will be placed in jeopardy.
Unfortunately, this social security scam can be difficult to detect because most people who receive benefits are sent letters in the mail from the SSA all the time. However, any letter or phone call that requests your SSN is not legitimate because the SSA already has that information on file.
3- New House
According to About.com, another social security scam involves telling disability recipients that their benefits are going to stop because they've just inherited a brand new house. All they have to do is take care of the back taxes, and proceeds from the sale will be deposited directly into their bank account.
This scam is usually handled by phone, and the caller may place you on hold while he or she “checks the details”. The hold music played will be the same as that used by the SSA, and the recipient's information will be requested for verification purposes. With this scam, never give away your information by phone, and always call the SSA back (at their number, not one you are given over the phone) to verify the legitimacy of the call.
4- New Social Security Card
The fourth most common social security scam involves calling people on the phone to tell them that they must place an order for a new social security card. They are told that all U.S. citizens are required to make the switch, but that they must verify your identity using your SSN and your bank account numbers. Once you hand over that information, your identity is no longer your own.
If the SSA ever decides to change the look or constitution of the social security cards, it will be all over the news, and the switch will not be conducted over the phone. If you receive such a call, record the date and the number (if you have Caller ID) and report the scam to the SSA.
Source:
Social Security Administration, SSA.gov
Robert Longley, Social Security Recipients Warned of Scams, About.com
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