Our firm in March joined the Social Security Administration in observing National Slam the Scam Day, an event dedicated to spreading awareness about Social Security-related scams and equipping the public with the knowledge to recognize and report these scams.
Scammers are known to use various tactics to deceive people and steal their money and personal information. Slam the Scam Day, officially recognized March 9, drew attention to the four basic signs of a scam that you should be aware of:
- Scammers may pretend to be from a familiar organization or agency, like the Social Security Administration. They may even use official-looking logos, seals, signatures, or pictures of employee credentials to make their scam appear legitimate.
- Scammers may mention a problem or prize to lure you into their trap. For instance, they may say your Social Security number was involved in a crime or ask for personal information to process a benefit increase.
- Scammers often pressure their targets to act immediately. They may threaten you with arrest or legal action to scare you into complying with their demands.
- Scammers may instruct you to pay using a gift card, prepaid debit card, cryptocurrency, wire or money transfer, or by mailing cash. They may also ask you to transfer your money to a “safe” account, which is a red flag since legitimate organizations don’t use these payment methods.
If you encounter a Social Security-related scam, the best thing to do is to ignore the scammer and report their criminal behavior to the SSA Office of the Inspector General (OIG). Reporting these scams is crucial in helping to prevent others from falling victim to such schemes.
We can all do our part to #SlamTheScam. Educate yourself on the tactics that scammers use so that you can stay informed and vigilant against them.
Together, we can help ensure safety and security for seniors everywhere.
Contact R. F. Meyer & Associates with your legal questions
If you have questions about any Elder Law, Estate Planning or Probate issue, contact R. F. Meyer & Associates for help. Reach our law offices in Worthington by calling 614-407-7900, sending an email to [email protected], or by completing the Contact form on our website at ElderLaw.US/Contact.