I was skeptical, but I called the number just in case it was legitimate. It wasn't.
The guy who answered the phone was difficult to understand. He had quite a strong accent. He asked for my name, which I provided. He said he needed to check my records, and then came back on the line saying that they had a different name for me. It was my first name and my last name from when I was married. Why would Social Security have the wrong name for me? I changed my name with them years ago when I got a new Social Security card.
The man went on to tell me that my Social Security number was suspended immediately because of numerous cases of fraud in Texas. Have you ever been to Texas? he asked.
I said, I want to talk to your supervisor. He said that it was difficult to get a manager on the phone and would take some time. I said, I want to talk to your supervisor.
He put me on hold for about 10 seconds and then the same person came back on the line and said he was the manager and wanted to know what the problem was. I said, This is a scam. Don't call me again.
I hung up and contacted the real Social Security Administration. Their recording said that phone calls are being made by people pretending to be from Social Security and to report it immediately if identity theft occurred.
I have no reason to think they've stolen my identity because the point of the call is to get people to reveal their social security numbers and/or banking information.
As I've gone about my morning, I've received myriad calls from 415 960 1223. It's always a message on my voice mail telling me to call them immediately because I'm in biiiiiig trouble.
So I called them again--and again--and again. Every time someone answered the phone, I shouted, WHAT'S YOUR NAME? Only one person gave me a name (Agent Jacob Johnson and a badge number), which of course is invented. I told him in very firm terms that they were not to call me anymore and that I had reported them for harassment. I called the number three or four more times and did the same thing.
The robo calls kept coming in.
So I blocked their stupid asses. We'll see what they come up with next.
When I checked online, I saw that these calls are a common problem. For more information, you can Google "scam calls from Social Security." If you're receiving repeated calls from the same number, you can also Google "how to block calls on my iPhone or Android phone (whatever the case may be)."
Online sources state that the scam calls might also come from the Social Security Hotline. Keep in mind that Social Security will never call you from their hotline and will never ask you to "confirm" information such as your Social Security number or bank information.
Best wishes and may the force be with you.
Infinities of love,
Janie Junebug
Update: It turns out that the only thing yelling at the scammers did was give me a sore throat. They've called me this afternoon from 414 662 5625 and 415 960 1223. I don't answer. As soon as I hear their familiar message, I block the number. They can come up with as many numbers as they like. I'll keep blocking.
Go ahead: Use another number to keep calling me. You'll find out that I'm not in a good mood today.
Sigh.
ReplyDeleteWe get them here too, but they say they are from the tax office rather than social security.
Glad that you were on to them.
Sorry for the more gullible souls.
So often it's elderly people who suffer the most from this garbage. I also get calls occasionally about my taxes and how I'm going to be arrested. They are not as persistent as these "Social Security" callers.
DeleteYou're too smart for them, Janie! Thanks for spreading the word.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Debra.
DeleteThe scammer who called me said they were from the Department of
ReplyDeleteSocial Security and that my benefits were going to be stopped, that I should call some number they gave me. These calls make me cussing angry because I know that some people get frightened and respond to the call. Since the goofball said Department of Social Security it was positively a scam. It sounds like your scammer at least knew that it was the Social Security Administration not Department. I would never call any numbers they give you to call. because it could be a call you end up having to pay for.
I have a landline which is what brings these calls into my home. I don't know how to block them, so I usually just screen them unless I am expecting a call from someone I know, then I answer the phone.
I thought about canceling our landline to stop these calls, but I have some health problems and if I am able to dial 911 but cannot speak they can easily trace my address with a landline, but it is more difficult and time consuming with my cell phone. I called the police department to ask about it and they said they would ping the cell phone tower and then find my house, or the two or three nearby. It's not that exact, like the landline is.
Arrrrrgh! I shouldn't have called them back! If I get charges because of the calls I made, I will fight them to the death.
DeleteI've become very adept at blocking numbers from mystery people who call my iPhone. We screen calls on the landline. If someone can't leave a message, I don't want to talk to them.
ReplyDeleteBTW - In the olden days I used to keep a BIG shiny whistle next to the phone for unwelcome calls. :0)
I remember that old tip about the whistle.
DeleteThose scammers really make my blood boil. When I fielded one of their calls, I used to say something like, "Shame on you!" But Smarticus came up with a better way. When he sees the "unknown number" or "unidentified caller" on caller I.D., he answers the phone by saying, "Hello. This call is being recorded for prosecution purposes. How may I help you?" Man, do they ever hang up fast!!!
ReplyDeleteI like that way of handling the calls.
DeleteWe don't answer the phone unless it's a number we know. Anyone else can leave a message if it's all that freakin' important :)
ReplyDeleteI love the meme!
They left a message but it sounded real. With some messages it's obvious that it's a scam.
DeleteAh, yes, you DID say that, didn't you? And yes, I was thinking of the obvious scam calls. It's scary when they get good enough that it's not obvious ...
DeleteThere are similar problems here in Canada and one too many victims, as well. *sigh* I watched a documentary recently of people who have lost thousands of dollars because of these scams. Makes you a little crazy! Thanks for spreading the word. It's important that people are informed.
ReplyDeleteI'm aware of a lot of the common scams, but I didn't know about "Social Security" until I got the call and looked it up online.
DeleteCBS News had a piece about a man who has wormed his way into the callers computer and you can see they are just a bunch of men (?) in India, in a cramped room making these calls. India is the biggest scam callers.
ReplyDeleteIt is awful.
I get a lot of, a warrant has been issued for your arrest blah blahblah ....
I just block them.
parsnip
I suspect, based on accents, that the callers were Indian.
DeleteHere down under we get those scam calls saying they are from the ATO as in Australian Tax Office, I just hang up and block the number can't block from the landline though but I wish I could
ReplyDeleteI get horrible messages from the "Internal Revenue Service" that they are going to arrest me because I haven't paid my taxes. Scammers are jerks.
DeleteA. Social Security NEVER call you. They'd make contact with an official letter which one should verify by calling social security.
ReplyDeleteB.They also never ever suspend your number. Only if you are in the witness protection plan will you be given a different number.
Lesson learned. Next we'll hear from the FBI or Interpol that they are shortly coming to the door... If it comes by phone, you can discard it.
Thanks for the additional information. Here it is Monday afternoon and I just got another message from "Social Security." Yet another number blocked.
DeleteGlad you were smart enough to know it was a scam. I can't help but think of how many unfortunate people probably fell for it. I kept getting a call about some kind of legal issue almost every day and they'd leave a recorded message. The calls finally stopped because I'd never answer or call back.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised "Social Security" is still leaving messages because I'm still blocking their many numbers.
DeleteYes, they've had warnings about those scam calls here, too. You can get spam emails, too. Never give out any personal information via phone or internet. Banks and SS would contact you by letter and you can always double check by looking up the official number and waiting on the phone forever--LOL!
ReplyDeleteNo response at all--not even swiping decline--is the best way to getting them to eventually leave you alone. They get through even when you're on the no call list. Grrr!
I'm on the National Do Not Call list and on AT&T's Do Not Call list, but I still get weird calls.
DeleteSocial Security is not into phones. If they contact you, it's by mail.
ReplyDeleteI know that now!
DeleteUrgh! Here they say they are calling from Microsoft saying they detected a threat on our pc, or some bank checking if my personal details are the same, and if I could confirm them. They called on the landline though, so I couldn't block the calls, but I could end the call by picking up, and immediately hanging up in their ear everytime. But they are persistant buggers.
ReplyDeleteI've gotten those Microsoft calls in the past, but it's been a while.
DeleteI've had to deal with a ridiculous amount of scammers, too. Sorry you've had your share of them.
ReplyDeleteI think we all get them.
DeleteI hate those calls. Even when you know they aren't legit, they're unsettling.
ReplyDeleteYou're absolutely right. They are unsettling. And here it is Monday and they've started in again.
DeleteI've heard about this happening a lot lately...people getting calls saying their Social Security number was suspended. These are some seriously bad people doing this.
ReplyDeleteNo matter how badly I needed money, I could not participate in a scam. I have access to sensitive, private information at work. I've never felt the slightest temptation to misuse that information. I have a conscience.
DeleteHey Janie,
ReplyDeleteThese phone scams are worldwide and on the increase. Although, in my case, I scam-bait these despicable people by doing what I shouldn't really do. I waste as much time as possible with them. That way, they have less time to scam the most vulnerable who actually fall for this crap.
YouTube is full of examples of these scam calls. The one about money laundering and cocaine being discovered in a Toyota Corola on the south border of Texas, is their standard script for the fake IRS.
Take care.
Gary
I went to an FEC seminar on scammer phone calls. I've gotten plenty from the supposed IRS, social security, student loan office, my bank...on and on. The guy from the FEC suggested never returning any call. He said the government will always send an official letter via the US mail if they have an issue you need to address. All others, never use the number given, look up the number instead.
ReplyDeleteI got scammed by PayPal fakes. They sent me a fake email saying to log in and check for fraudulent charges and like an idiot, I did. As soon as I logged in it hit me that I'd screwed up, so I quickly called PayPal and secured my account. Such a bother.
That's so annoying! We get these scammers in the UK too and I used to get nuisance calls all day long so we changed our phone system to one where only people stored in the digital phone book in the phone's memory can get straight through. Anyone else has to listen to a recording asking them to say their name after the beep - no scamer has EVER said their name and waited to be put through. And all genuine callers will state their name and wait until I press a button to answer the call. it's brilliant - no more scammers!
ReplyDeleteUgh, I despise scammers! May they all rot in hell.
ReplyDeleteSocial Security or IRS or Microsoft will NEVER call you. Tell them to F off and hang up.
ReplyDeleteI reported it. You should do it too.
ReplyDelete415 960 1223