Scammers Impersonate
the Social Security Administration. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued
a warning about scammers posing as being from the Social Security
Administration (SSA). The scammer will call you saying that there has been a
computer problem at the Social Security Administration and they need to confirm
your Social Security number. The FTC has also received reports of spoofed
websites that look like they are where you can apply for a new Social Security
card. In reality, the sites are setup to steal your personal information.
The FTC warns that if you receive an unexpected phone call
from someone claiming to be from the SSA or are directed to a website that is
not www.ssa.gov, by an email claiming to be
from the SSA, hang up or do not click on the link. Remember,
·
Don’t give your personal information to someone
who calls you and asks for or demands it.
·
Be wary of phone numbers that show up on your
caller ID. Scammers have technology that can “spoof” the IRS, SSA, or other governmental
or business organizations.
·
If you are unexpectedly contacted by someone
claiming to be from the SSA, call the Social Security Administration directly
at 1-800-772-1213 and verify that the caller is legitimate.
Federal Trade Commission:
Finding the Right Tax
Preparer. The safety of your personal information should be important to
anyone that you use to help you prepare your income tax return. This YouTube
video from the Better Business Bureau has some tips to help you find a tax
preparer who will protect your personal information and avoid becoming a victim
of a tax scam.
Better Business Bureau:
Signs of Phishing.
Scammers use “phishing” emails to try to trick you into giving them your
personal information. The emails will look like they are from legitimate
businesses or governmental agencies. But there are signs that you can use to
determine if the email is legitimate, including a bad return email address, bad
spelling and/or grammar, a generic greeting, and instructions to click on a
link. Check out this video from KOMO TV for details on the tell-tale signs.
KOMO TV:
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