ALERT! Your social security checks could be going to scammers.

fuzzybuddy

fuzzybuddy

SF VIP
Location
The Sticks, Northeast PA.
THIS HAPPENED TO ME.
On Saturday, I got a letter from my local Social Security Office. IT said, "Thank you for using Social Security online services. On August 28, 2019, you successfully created an online account with the Social Security Administration." The only problem was that I DID NOT open any account. There was a line in the letter, which said to call a number "immediately" if I did not open the account. I did that at 8AM this morning. The rep. froze my account, which , now, cannot be opened online. If I need to get access to the acct., I have to call my local SS Office, for verification. I had absolutely no idea things in my account were switched around. And, yes, like you, my account numbers are well known to almost anybody, who wants them. I can get them online.
My advice for you is to go to SS web site, and set up an account. Once the account is set up, SS will send you a security code in the way you order, so that no one can gain access to the account.
www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount

I have to say that I'm grateful to the SS staff for mailing me that letter. God knows where my check would have gone. It would have been cashed and I wouldn't know anything about it, until I noticed that no money was in my checking account.
 

They do a great job in securing their website for you. After entering your password, which they want to be detailed, they have a second option you choose before they allow you into the site. Good system.
 
I set up an account when I moved earlier this year. It took me several tries to get into the system and set up to their satisfaction but it was done. Glad you caught the scammer.
 

I don't see how anyone can scam one of their accounts. I find it a pain in the butt to get into mine myself. I have to consult my cheat sheet where I keep all my passwords and security question answers every time.
 
fuzzybuddy said:
I have to say that I'm grateful to the SS staff for mailing me that letter. God knows where my check would have gone. It would have been cashed and I wouldn't know anything about it, until I noticed that no money was in my checking account.
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You might want to give a "Direct Deposit" to your bank account some Strong Consideration. Anytime there is a paper check involved, there is always the chance that it will be lost/misdelivered/etc. If someone were to get their hands on your physical SS check, that could easily lead to all sorts of problems.
 
Don M. Thanks. But I have direct deposit. Some one got in, opened up an account using my information, but instead of the security codes being sent to me, he had them sent to him. So he could reroute my checks to his account. This would have worked for probably only one check. I would have wanted to know where my money was.
 
So sorry this happened to you Fuzzy....and thanks for informing us that this could happen to anyone these days....I will certainly be watching my account each month...
 
I checked mine. My September check is already there. So I guess I'm in the clear for this month at least.

The only social security scam that I have encountered so far is when they leave a message on my cell phone saying that my number has been suspended due to suspicious activity near the Texas/Mexican border. I just delete them.
 
Trade said:
I checked mine. My September check is already there. So I guess I'm in the clear for this month at least.

The only social security scam that I have encountered so far is when they leave a message on my cell phone saying that my number has been suspended due to suspicious activity near the Texas/Mexican border. I just delete them.
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Do you get these messages on your land line phone or cell, Trade?
 
So far I'm good!

One caution, never call the number provided to you in a letter or over the telephone if you suspect a scam of some type always look up the number from a reliable independent source just to be sure you are not actually calling the scammer.

Good luck fb!
 
fuzzybuddy said:
Don M. Thanks. But I have direct deposit. Some one got in, opened up an account using my information, but instead of the security codes being sent to me, he had them sent to him. So he could reroute my checks to his account. This would have worked for probably only one check. I would have wanted to know where my money was.
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This scary to know a persons or persons from anywhere in the world can break in to our SS and steal our money. I did not think that was remotely possible. Thanks for your post.
 
I have read about Social Security scams, too, and it is terrible how that can happen. Apparently, SS does not even check into it if they find someone using your SS information, unless YOU report that someone is using your account.
I read about someone who stole another person’s information, and was somehow able to have medical work done and accounted to the stolen account.
I also have my SS check with direct deposit, and you can see a few days ahead of time that it is pending deposit, so if for some reason that didn’t show up, I would maybe be able to contact SS before they had deposited my check into someone else’s account.
With direct deposit, I never have to worry about something (illness, car trouble) that might stop me from getting the check deposited, and I don’t have to worry about it being stolen from my mailbox either.
 
It is ridiculously easy for anyone to get your Social Security number. Sometimes, when calling a doctor's office, they have asked for my Medicare number (same as the SS number, of course.) I give it to them, and they loudly repeat it to me, to be sure they've gotten it right. But anyone sitting in the doctor's waiting room also hears the number.
 
Sunny said:
It is ridiculously easy for anyone to get your Social Security number. Sometimes, when calling a doctor's office, they have asked for my Medicare number (same as the SS number, of course.) I give it to them, and they loudly repeat it to me, to be sure they've gotten it right. But anyone sitting in the doctor's waiting room also hears the number.
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I believe that you have a different number for Medicare.
 
I did get a second letter from SS, today. The rep told me I would be getting it. It said I had chaned my address. But I didn't. Somebody did get my SS number, went to the site, opened up the account , and changed my address. I have to admit, it does feel weird that someone pick me to work a scam on. I never felt like I was a target before.
 
I get an email from Bank of America each month that my SS check has been credited to my account. I know which week of the month to be looking for it. Easy to check each month
 
The new Medicare card has a different number. Maybe people were getting scammed by the old system. The old Medicare cards had exactly the same number as our Social Security cards. Probably like me, every time you checked in with a new doctor for the first time, they asked you to bring your Medicare card, which meant carrying it in your wallet. If you lost it, it was the same as losing your SS card.

I'm glad they changed the number.
 
When it's a none of yer bizness situation, like at a new dentist's office, I've been known to transpose a digit or two (in first six digits of my SS# and driver's license number). I have no insurance and am paying by CC. That's all they need to know about me.
 
On our new SS card....They don't put our number on our Social Security card anymore....When going to the Doctor....They only take the last
4 digits....
 

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