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Social Security scams now top IRS scams. Don't be a victim

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Social Security scams now top IRS scams. Don't be a victim

Unread postby SlapHappy » Wed Apr 24, 2019 4:10 pm

https://www.clarionledger.com/story/new ... 416298002/

Social Security scams now top IRS scams. Don't become a victim
Bill Moak, Consumer Watch Published 3:00 a.m. CT April 24, 2019


Elizabeth Keatinge tells us about some new phone scams to be aware of. Buzz60

It was about 2013 when scammers began employing a new tactic to hoodwink people into giving up personal information which can later be used to commit identity theft or raid their bank accounts. That year, complaints surged from people who had gotten calls purporting to be from the Internal Revenue Service, warning them that they wouldn’t be getting their tax refunds unless they “verified” their accounts or gave up their Social Security Numbers.

At its peak in 2016, the “IRS Scam” had raked in an estimated $17 million from unwitting victims. Information from the Federal Trade Commission shows that calls to Consumer Sentinel – a clearinghouse for law enforcement and private watchdog agencies – hit a high that year and have been declining ever since. That’s good news, but it could be because scammers have found a new tactic to be more profitable.

Imposters claim Social Security numbers have been suspended
As IRS Scam callers have plummeted, “SSA Imposter” scams have been rising, and last month, the ill-gotten gain from these scams have overtaken the record numbers posted by the IRS Scam. SSA imposter calls rely on the same fear tactics, as they pretend to be from a known government authority and claim that Social Security numbers have been “suspended”; that your Social Security number has been used in a crime or that benefits could be at risk if you don’t comply. You may be told your accounts will be seized or frozen if you don’t act quickly.

“While reports of SSA imposters have swelled – nearly half of the reports we’ve gotten in the last year have come in the past two months alone – reports of IRS scammers have plunged,” noted the FTC “s Seena Gressin in a blog post. Consumer Sentinel data indicate that consumers have filed more than 76,000 reports about Social Security imposters in the past 12 months, with about 36,000 reports and $6.7 million in reported losses from February and March.

Often operating through robocalls, scammers sometimes use caller ID spoofing to make it look like the call comes from the Social Security Administration. Although just a small percentage of people say they’ve fallen for the scam, when someone does fall victim, it can be expensive. The FTC reports the median individual reported loss last year was $1,500, four times higher than the median individual loss for all frauds. Victims cross all generational boundaries.

Victims have reported being requested to send money in unconventional ways; most often, people say they gave the scammer the PIN numbers on the back of gift cards. Other scammers request payment in gift cards or virtual currencies like Bitcoin. “With both methods,” the FTC notes, “the scammer gets quick cash while staying anonymous, and the money people thought they were keeping safe is simply gone.”

Don't get scammed: 5 things to do
Don’t trust caller ID. Scam calls may show up on caller ID as the Social Security Administration and look like the agency’s real number.
Don’t give the caller your Social Security number or other personal information. (If you already did, visit IdentityTheft.gov/SSA to find out what steps you can take to protect your credit and your identity.
Check with the real Social Security Administration. Call them directly at 1-800-772-1213 to find out if SSA is really trying to reach you and why.
Talk about it. People recognize the IRS scam, but many are getting caught off guard by these new imposters. You can help by telling people that the SSA scam is a new version of the IRS scam.
Report government imposter scams to the FTC at FTC.gov/complaint. To learn more, visit ftc.gov/imposters.
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Contact Bill Moak at moakconsumer@gmail.com.

Alert: More robocall IRS tax scams expected over next 2 weeks. Here's watch to watch for.

Tech support scams: Typical victim loses $400.

Don't fall for it: No, your Social Security number can't be suspended
If anyone asks you for money on the Internet they are always a scammer, 100% of the time.
Blackmail Scammed? Go here: https://www.scamsurvivors.com/blackmail/#/
FAQ viewtopic.php?f=3&t=19
Victim of a scam? Go here: https://scamsurvivors.com/forum/viewtop ... =3&t=26504
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