How to Stop Fraudsters from Getting Your Social Security
If you’ve been contributing to Social Security for years, your job isn’t completely over when you start getting checks. Now you need to protect your benefits from fraudsters.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) warns of scammers who will impersonate or other government agencies to obtain your sensitive information or money. This simple checklist can go a long way in protecting your hard earned money.
How fraudsters try to steal Social Security
Public Security burglars usually don’t knock on doors. As more benefits are filed electronically, hackers have turned to the digital world to take over Social Security accounts and redirect checks, or steal your personal information to try to access your money in other ways.
The methods they use include:
- Setting up a fake “My Social Security” account in someone else’s name and changing direct deposit information, or hacking into an existing account.
- Sending phishing emails and fake web pages designed to capture login credentials and personal data
- Sending text messages or emails or making phone calls asking you to do something, such as asking you to send money or share your personal information
Most Social Security fraudsters also create a false sense of urgency in their phishing emails, fake text messages and phone calls. Urgency can cause people to act quickly without much thought, making it easy to fall into a rut.
It’s become such a big problem that Social Security has a web page titled “Protect Yourself from Social Security Scams” that highlights different ways to keep criminals away from your benefits. Social Security also included an example of an email scam that thieves are using to get sensitive information.
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A way to protect yourself
Here’s an overview of steps you can take to stay safe.
1. Search for your Social Security account
The first step is to create a “My Social Security” account to check for suspicious activity and make sure no one else has taken control of your account.
Make sure you use an official website to create your account.
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2. Monitor your direct deposit information
You will need to provide your bank account and routing number when specifying where the checks are going. Make sure you use a reliable bank with good fraud monitoring tools and alerts. That way, you can get instant notifications if something suspicious happens, and you can take immediate action.
3. Conduct a monthly benefit assessment
A simple 10-minute cycle can give you peace of mind when it comes to your Social Security benefits. Checking your monthly bank statement is a good start, but you can also log into your Social Security account each month to make sure your direct deposit information hasn’t changed.
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4. Promptly report problems
Anyone who is a victim of Social Security fraud should report the fraudulent activity to Social Security and begin the payment adjustment process. You should also contact your bank or credit union and tell them to put you in touch with fraud support. If you are a victim of identity theft, you should consider fraud alerts or credit freezes with the three credit bureaus as protective measures.
You can report any scams directly on the Social Security website at ssa.gov/scam. You can also report fraud at oig.ssa.gov/report.
