The Inspector General of Social Security, Gail S. Ennis, recently released a statement warning the public about scammers claiming to be from the Social Security Administration (SSA). These are part of an increasing number of phone calls or email messages where the fraudsters claim to be a part of a government agency (other common ploys involve claiming to be from the IRS). The caller ID on the recipient’s phone may say the name of the department they claim to a representative and present a variety of false scenarios.
It is important to remember that citizens receiving benefits or have applied for them should not give these callers sensitive personal information or money. Generally, they should be very cautious when speaking with unknown callers. These criminals will make threats about curtailing benefits if victims do not wire money or make payments to prepaid debit cards or gift cards. Citizens should hang up and report the incident to the agency. It is important to remember that government employees never threaten citizens, nor do they request payments over the phone.
Attorneys can also help
Those with questions about their Social Security Disability claim or the information on the application are often best served by working with a law firm that handles these types of claims all the time. Not only can they answer all your questions, but they can also guide clients through the process even to get the best possible result and appeal many denied claims.
