INDIANA – Scammers constantly tweak old scams and design new ones to trick you into giving them money or personal information. They target people of all ages through text, email, phone calls, and social media.
The most recent data shows that people ages 70 to 84 report the greatest losses—an average of nearly $12,000.
Many scammers work the same way. They:
- Pretend to be from an agency or organization you know to gain your trust.
- Claim there is a problem or prize.
- Pressure you to act immediately.
- Tell you to pay in a specific way.
Watch out for red flags:
Keep an eye out for these red flags, and remember that our employees will never:
- Threaten you with arrest or legal action because you don’t agree to pay money immediately.
- Suspend your Social Security number or monthly payment.
- Claim to need personal information or payment to activate a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) or another benefit.
- Pressure you to take immediate action, including sharing personal information.
- Ask you to pay with gift cards, prepaid debit cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or cash.
- Threaten to seize your bank account.
- Offer to move your money to a “protected” bank account.
- Demand secrecy.
- Direct message you on social media.
By remaining vigilant, recognizing common signs, and watching for red flags, you and your loved ones can avoid falling for scams. Visit ssa.gov/scams and watch these videos for more information about preventing and reporting fraud.
Information provided by William Bardin, Deputy Associate Commissioner, Office of Program Integrity.
