Concerns over growing nationwide Social Security scam

A scam to get social security numbers from unsuspecting residents is growing exponentially and losses of $10 million were reported in the last year.

The scam doesn't appear to be a scam to trusting people as the phone number is spoofed from the one at the real Social Security Administration (SSA). Scammers will say your Social Security number (SSN) has been suspended because of suspicious activity, or because it’s been involved in a crime. The scammer wants you to confirm your SSN to reactivate it. Sometimes, he’ll say your bank account is about to be seized – but he’ll tell you what to do to keep it safe. (Often, that involves putting your money on gift cards and giving him the codes – which means that your money is gone.)

The caller generally asks you for personal information such as your Social Security number, date of birth, your mother's maiden name, or your bank or financial account information.

The impersonator may also state that "the SSA computers are down" or may refer to enrollment in the Medicare prescription drug program.

In 2017 the government heard from 3,200 people about SSA imposter scams, and those people reported losing nearly $210,000.

Over the past several months more than 35,000 people have reported the scam and say they’ve lost $10 million.

Your caller ID often shows the real SSA phone number (1-800-772-1213) when these scammers call – but they’re faking that number. It’s not the real SSA calling.

It is possible that an SSA employee may contact you to follow-up on a previous application for SSA/Medicare Part D benefits or to follow-up on other business you initiated with SSA. If you are unsure as to the authenticity of someone who claims to be an SSA employee, call SSA's toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213, to verify the reason for the contact and the person's identity prior to providing any information to the caller.

Here's what to know:

* Your Social Security number is not about to be suspended. You don’t have to verify your number to anyone who calls out of the blue. And your bank accounts are not about to be seized. Numbers are never suspended.

* SSA will never call to threaten your benefits or tell you to wire money, send cash, or put money on gift cards. Anyone who tells you to do those things is a scammer. Every time.

* The real SSA number is 1-800-772-1213, but scammers are putting that number in the caller ID. 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. Or your bank account or credit card number.

If you wish to report a call from someone you suspect is impersonating an SSA employee, please provide us with the following details:

Caller's alleged name
Caller's telephone number
Time and date the call was made
Information requested by the caller
Other identifying information or details about the content of the call