Imposter scams have long been among the most lucrative for scammers.  While there are many variations of this scam, the most common variations have involved scammers emailing their victims posing as a popular company with which we all do business or calling their intended victims on the telephone posing as some governmental agency such as the IRS or the Social Security Administration.  The scammer then, under a wide variety of pretenses, demands an immediate payment or personal information that can lead to your becoming a victim of identity theft.

Imposter scams where the scammers pose as representatives of the Social Security Administration (SSA) are common.  A recent version involves an email that you get informing you that there has been a problem with your Social Security account and that in order to correct the problem, you need to download security update software.  However, if you download the software you will end up downloading malware that enables the scammer to steal all of the information from your computer or phone including credit card information and banking information and passwords.  Scammers are also sending emails threatening suspension of Social Security benefit payments due to the targeted victim’s name and Social Security number being used in money laundering and drug trafficking.

Other popular scams come in the form of phone calls, emails or text messages purportedly from the SSA requiring you to provide your Social Security number and banking information in order to receive additional Social Security payments

TIPS

As I have often reminded you, whenever you are contacted by phone call, email or a text message you can never be sure who is actually contacting you.  B.S.  Be skeptical. Through the simple technique of “spoofing” it is very easy for a scammer to manipulate your Caller ID to make a call coming to you appear legitimate when it is not.  Therefore you can never truly trust your Caller ID.  Trust me, you can’t trust anyone.  Email addresses can also be made to appear legitimate as can text messages when they are actually coming from a scammer.

Never click on a link, download an attachment, provide personal information or make a payment in response to an email, text message or phone call unless you have absolutely confirmed that the communication is legitimate.

The real Social Security Administration will never ask for your personal information such as your Social Security number, date of birth or banking information.  If you do get a communication asking for personal information and you think it may be legitimate merely contact your local Social Security office or call them at 1-800-772-1213.

The Social Security Administration also does not contact people by email, text messages or phone calls and does not suspend benefit payments.

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