Scammers are pretending to be the Social Security Administration (SSA) and try to get your social security number or your money. Other scams include lies about suspending your social security number because of suspicious activity or a crime, reactivating your social security number, your bank accounts being seized, etc.

Your caller ID may even show the real SSA phone number (1-800-772-1213) when these scammers call – but they’re faking that number. This is a scam. Hang up immediately and never press 1.

Know this:

• Your Social Security number is not about to be suspended and your bank accounts are not about to be seized.
• You don’t have to verify your number to anyone who calls out of the blue.
• SSA will never call to threaten your benefits or tell you to wire money, send cash, or put money on gift cards.
• If you’re worried about what the caller says, hang up and call 1-800-772-1213 to speak to the real SSA. Even if the wait time is long, confirm with the real SSA before responding to one of these calls.
• Never give any part of your Social Security number to anyone who contacts you. This also applies to your bank account or credit card number.

More Tips to Avoid Social Security Scams