Beware Phone Scams

Beware Phone Scams

Gale Stallworth, the Acting Inspector General of Social Security, is raising alerts about a new phone scam. Thieves involved in this phone scam sound very similar to those from government agencies such as the International Revenue Service (IRS) or the Social Security Administration (SSA). Scammers also have the ability to change their caller ID to make it look like they are calling from the IRS or another government agency.

What happens during a call?

Scammers will identify themselves as SSA employees staying that the employee does not have all of the person’s personal information, including their social security number, and they need additional information to claim their benefits.

SSA employees may contact you by telephone but would never threaten you for personal information or benefits

How can I avoid these calls?

If you’re unsure of whether or not the call is real, hang up immediately and call back using an official number. To avoid the call all together simply ignore the phone call and let it go straight to voicemail.

Remember these tips.

The IRS will never:

• Demand immediate information or payment over the phone, or discuss taxes you owe without sending you a bill first.
• Threaten to bring in local authorities to have you arrested for not immediately paying.
• Demand you pay taxes without giving you the right to appeal the amount you owe.
• Ask for any debit or credit card information over the phone.

 Article was provided by Forbes.com.

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