 These days, everyone (including fathers and sons) needs to be
cautious of scams -- Internet, mail and even phone scams -- which
can damage your credit score and wallet. Scam artists have become
shrewd. Anytime someone asks for your personal information, you
should be wary. Particularly cruel are swindlers who target Social
Security beneficiaries.
As a rule of thumb, Social Security will not call or email you
for your personal information such as your Social Security number or
banking information. If someone contacts you and asks for this kind
of information and claims to be from Social Security, do not give
out your personal information without first contacting Social
Security to verify the validity of the person contacting you. It
could be an identity thief on the other end phishing for your
personal information. Just call the local Social Security office or
Social Security's toll-free number at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY
1-800-325-0778).
If you receive a suspicious call, report it to Social Security's
Fraud Hotline. Reports may be made online at
www.socialsecurity.gov/fraudreport/
oig/public_fraud_reporting/form.htm or by phone at
1-800-269-0271 (TTY 1-866-501-2101) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern
Standard Time. Include the following details:
-
The alleged
suspects and the victims' names, addresses, phone numbers, dates
of birth and Social Security numbers.
-
Description of the
fraud and the location where the fraud took place.
-
When and how the
fraud was committed.
-
Why the person
committed the fraud (if known).
-
Who else has knowledge of the potential
violation.
Identity theft is one of the fastest-growing crimes in America.
If you, your father or anyone you know has been the victim of an
identity thief, the place to contact is the Federal Trade Commission
at www.idtheft.gov. Or, call
1-877-IDTHEFT (1-877-438-4338) or TTY 1-866-653-4261.
[to top of second column] |
Some people who receive Social Security and Supplemental Security
Income benefits are victimized by misleading advertisers. Such
companies offer Social Security services for a fee, even though the
same services are available directly from Social Security free of
charge. Especially upsetting are ads that make it appear as though
the ad has come directly from Social Security. By law, such
advertisements must indicate that the company is not affiliated with
Social Security.
If you, or your dad, see what you believe is misleading
advertising for Social Security services from a company that does
not admit it is not affiliated with Social Security, send the
complete mailing, including the envelope, to: Office of the
Inspector General, Fraud Hotline, Social Security Administration,
P.O. Box 17768, Baltimore, MD 21235. Also, advise your state's
attorney general or consumer affairs office and the Better Business
Bureau. You can visit the Office of the Inspector General online at
http://oig.ssa.gov/ and select the "Fraud,
Waste, or Abuse" link.
Learn more about identity theft at
www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10064.html. Read about misleading
advertising at
www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10005.html.
And finally, while you're enjoying the right kind of fishing with
dad this Father's Day, you may want to tell him about the Extra Help
program for Medicare prescription drug costs. If your father is
covered by Medicare and has limited income and resources, he may be
eligible for Extra Help -- available through Social Security -- to
pay part of his monthly premiums, annual deductibles and
prescription co-payments. Social Security estimates that the Extra
Help is worth about $4,000 per year. That kind of savings buys a lot
of bait and tackle. Learn more at
www.socialsecurity.gov/prescriptionhelp.
[Text from file received from the
Social Security office
in Springfield] |
