We live in a foggy age of misleading information and outright shakedowns. The latest racket features scammers pretending to be government employees using fear tactics. Reporter Heather Clisby has details on how to protect yourself…
If you receive a call from someone representing Social Security with a warning about problems with your account, hang up. Chances are, the voice belongs to a scammer trying to scare you enough to extract personal information and money. They may even threaten you or your family, demand immediate funds, or threaten you with arrest or legal action; this is extortion. While the Social Security Department may occasionally contact citizens via phone, they would never make threats, suspend your personal number, demand payment, or ask for personal information. If this should happen to you, hang up, and file a report to the Office of the Inspector General at OIG.SSA.GOV.
