Tampa, FL (Law Firm Newswire) May 23, 2019 – Federal authorities are urging people to be on alert for a new telephone scam in which callers pretend to be from the Social Security Administration (SSA). Scammers have stolen millions of dollars by exploiting the trust that victims have in government agencies.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said the number of fraudulent calls from SSA impostors has climbed sharply over the past year. There were more than 76,000 reports filed about SSA scams in the 12 months ending in March. They totaled approximately $19 million in losses. Around 36,000 of the complaints and $6.7 million of the losses were reported in February and March alone.
“It can sometimes be difficult to determine whether a call from a federal agency is genuine,” commented Florida social security disability attorney David W. Magann. “However, you should remember that the SSA is not likely to contact you out of the blue. Generally it is best to be cautious and refrain from sharing any personal information if you get an unsolicited phone call asking for your Social Security number and financial details.”
The FTC warned people not to automatically trust the phone number on their caller ID screen. Scammers are known to use spoofing technology to manipulate caller IDS so that their calls seem to be from legitimate government phone numbers.
Aggressive scare tactics have been common in the latest scam. Fake callers tell potential victims that their Social Security number has been suspended due to suspicious activity or involvement in a criminal operation such as money laundering or drug trafficking.
The impostors then try to frighten victims by saying they must quickly withdraw money from their bank account in order to avoid arrest or prevent their assets from being frozen. Payments are typically requested as prepaid gift cards, digital currency or bank wire transfers.
The government is urging people to hang up immediately if they are contacted by anyone claiming to be from the SSA and asking for money. Those who receive scam calls should report them to the inspector general or FTC.
David W. Magann, P.A.
Main Office:
156 W. Robertson St.
Brandon, FL 33511
Call: (813) 657-9175
Tampa Office:
4012 Gunn Highway #165
Tampa, Florida 33618
- Be Aware of How You Could Lose Your Social Security Benefits
1.Cessation of Disability: Usually a “cessation of benefits” occurs when you are not seeking regular and continuing treatment for the medical problems in the original determination for the grant of benefits. Also, if you are able to make enough money to pass above a certain threshold earnings amount, then you’ll stop getting disability benefits. For […] - NEW IMPAIRMENT LISTING IN FULL EFFECT & APPLICABLE TO ALL ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDINGS IMMEDIATELY
NEW MENTAL LISTINGS Effective: January 17, 2017 After a revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), and thousands of public comments later, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has published significant revisions to its mental impairment listings. SSA had issued a Notice of Proposed Rule Making in August 2010, proposing what at the time appeared to be […] - SSA is Heading For Delays Again After Recent Cutbacks & Years of Improvement
Service Cuts, Computer Problems Cloud Social Security’s 79th Birthday: The Social Security Administration should have reason to celebrate. After all, August 14, 2014, marked the 79th anniversary of the day when President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act, which ushered in the landmark entitlement program. However, the agency’s birthday was a less than cheerful […] - SSA is Ramping Up Disability Reviews in 2014
The Social Security Disability Benefits Reform Act of 1984 (“DBRA 1984”) was passed by a unanimous, bipartisan vote in the House and Senate (99-0) in September 1984. President Reagan signed the law on October 9, 1984, when it became Pub. L. No. 98-460. One of the main provisions required “medical improvement” before benefits could be terminated where […] - Never Allow A Non-Attorney to Represent You At Your Social Security Hearing!
You should NOT have a non-attorney clerk at your hearing? This seems obvious, but several Florida law firms and any company identifying themselves as “Experts”, some who are advertising on TV, are sending non-attorney clerks to Social Security Hearings simply because its cheaper for them to do so rather than have an actual attorney appear. How in […]
