Retirement

Be Cautious—Criminals are Looking for Your Social Security Data

Does this sound like a scene from a movie?

Bob is relaxing at home after a crazy day at the office. He checks his voicemail messages on his phone and is startled to hear this message from a stranger: “This is a call from fraud prevention at the Social Security Administration. I am calling to inform you your social security number has been suspended. Please contact the emergency hotline number today, 773-xxx-xxxx. I repeat, the number is 773-xxx-xxxx. Thank you.”

In reality, this is not a message from the Social Security Administration. It is, in fact, a phishing call from a thief who is trying to get access to your personal information using your Social Security number.

The Social Security Administration is well aware of this phishing scam. They have developed a specific link to the SSA.GOV website that explains this fraud attempt in great detail. For helpful information, CLICK HERE

Remember: the Social Security Administration does not call you and tell you they have “suspended” your number.

Below is a list from the Social Security Administration website of things they do not do:

  • Call you to demand an immediate payment.
  • Demand that you pay a debt without the ability to appeal the amount you owe.
  • Require a specific means of payment, such as requiring you to pay with a prepaid debit card.
  • Ask you for your personal information or credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
  • Threaten you with arrest or deportation.

If you get a call from anyone else using a message like this, the best thing to do is hang up!

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David Freitag

David Freitag, an industry veteran in financial services and wealth management, brings a deep passion and unparalleled knowledge of Social Security filing strategies and retirement income planning to his current role as a financial planning consultant for the Advanced Concepts Design Group of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual). His also holds a Master of Education and Bachelor of Science degrees from the University of Maryland.

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