No Tricks, Just Tips: Learn How to Protect Yourself from Scams

Happy Halloween! It’s time for costumes, candy, and scary movie marathons. Nothing like opening the door to Glenda, Batman, or Pennywise and handing your favorite candy out. While ghosts, witches, and Michael Myers (oh my!) are part of the fun, some calls are better left unanswered.

Scammers don’t need costumes to trick you into revealing personal information. They call or text you pretending to be government employees to get personal information or money from you. Fortunately, knowing what to look for can help prevent you from falling victim to their scams.

Remember the Four Ps

Scammers often use four common tactics:

• Pretend: They pretend to be Social Security or other government agency employees. Our employees will never contact you unless you initiate it first.
• Problem or Prize: They claim there’s a problem with your benefits or that you won something. Remember that cruise you never entered to win but got a call about? Yeah, that’s a scammer!
• Pressure: They insist you must act immediately. How many times have you gotten that call saying Social Security has a warrant out for your arrest? That’s not us, it’s a scammer!
• Payment: They demand payment through gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers, or other specific methods. Social Security cost-of-living adjustments are automatic! No activation or fees are required. You DO NOT need to pay for a benefits increase. Ever.

Treat yourself to peace of mind

If you receive a suspicious call, email, text, or a message on social media:

• Hang up and ignore the message.
• Don’t click on suspicious links or attachments.
• Never share personal information or send money in response to an unexpected request.
• Report Social Security-related scams to our Office of the Inspector General.

If you shared your information with a scammer, don’t be frightened or embarrassed. Report it immediately. We are here to help. The important part is to let us know immediately.

Stay vigilant

Knowing the signs of a scam and what to do when you spot them are key. This Halloween, enjoy the costumes, candy, and celebrations, but remember to be alert so a scammer can’t take away your joy. Visit our Protect Yourself from Scams webpage for more tips and resources to help protect you and your family’s information.