One day, suddenly someone calls you claiming to work for the government and informs you that your Social Security Number (SSN) has been suspended. It sounds very professional. Then, you must do exactly what they tell you to do so that your process goes smoothly, right? Although this sounds good, the FTC has received reports that scammers are trying to deceive people into taking their personal information by telling them they need to "reactivate" their supposedly "suspended" Social Security numbers. That is why if you have been a victim of a situation like this or simply want to know how to process it yourself, you should contact the Conexión Legal team as soon as possible by calling 1800 201 1220 or writing to us through WhatsApp so you can receive the best legal advice and representation from a free attorney. In this way we can help you avoid any type of fraud or deception. The scammers claim that the Social Security number has been suspended due to some links to fraud or other criminal activity. They indicate that you need to call a phone number to reactivate it, and then, when you call, they ask for your personal information. The truth is that Social Security numbers are not suspended. This is just another variant of a government imposter scam trying to get your real Social Security number, bank account number, or other personal information. In this variant of the scheme, the caller claims to be protecting you from a scam when in reality they are deceiving you into falling for a scam.
How Can I Protect Myself From a Situation Like This?
Here are some tips to help protect yourself, which you should be constantly alert about:
- Never give or confirm personal information over the phone, email, or website until you have verified who is requesting it.
- Do not trust a name, phone number, or email address just because they appear to be related to the government. Opportunistic scammers use official-looking names and manipulate caller ID or email address information to make them trustworthy. Additionally, the government generally communicates with people by mail.
- Contact government agencies directly using phone numbers and websites that you know are legitimate.
- If someone has attempted to steal your personal information by impersonating an FTC government representative, report it to the FTC and contact Conexión Legal so we can assign you a free attorney who can take your case if necessary.
Even if the caller ID shows the agency's number (18007721213), this could be a scam, since criminals have found a way to commit this deception. In this case, the best thing to do is hang up and call that number directly to confirm any doubts. No matter how long the wait. The San Diego County District Attorney's Office is joining efforts to alert the public about this increasingly common fraud.
This Agency's Recommendations in Response to This Threat are:
- Never provide personal information over the phone, email, or website until you have verified the person requesting it.
- Do not trust a name, phone number, or email address just because it appears to be related to the government. Scammers use official-looking names and can use a fake caller ID number to gain your trust. The government generally contacts people by mail.
- Call government agencies directly with phone numbers and Internet addresses that you know are legitimate.
In 2017, 3,200 of these scams were reported to the FTC; by 2018, this number had risen to over 35,000 cases, which, according to the agency, represented a loss of more than 10 million dollars. Elderly people are often the most vulnerable to this scam, so the community is encouraged to share this information with all members of their family.Also read What does a Social Security attorney do? and learn how this professional can help you in your case.
The choice of your attorney is one of the aspects that can contribute to the final decision of your case. Therefore, if you or a loved one need it, you should contact the Conexión Legal team as soon as possible so we can provide you with the best free legal advice, and likewise, legal representation by a free attorney in case you suffer any type of personal data theft.Follow the steps in the following form to schedule your free consultation appointment.
