#1 Phishing: Social Security Number
This one is a classic example of phishing, and despite there being a ton of warnings about it out there, people still fall into the trap of these scammers. This one goes something like this: you will receive a robot call and they will warn you that there has been fraudulent activity involving your Social Security Number, and even claim that you will lose any benefits you have or that they are expiring. This is a ploy in order for you to tell them your SSN.
You should NEVER give anyone your personal information over the phone, especially if it’s someone you don’t know. Government agencies, especially Social Security, will never just call you out of the blue. They will mostly send you mail, and then you will have to call them. Not to mention, what government agency would threaten you for information or payments? That’s grounds for losing your job, and we doubt anyone would want to do that.
If you get a random number calling you and saying they’re from a government agency, they’re most likely lying to you!
#2 Legal Authority Imposter
Unexpected calls from anyone claiming to be a police officer, US Customs and Border Protection, a US Marshall, or even an attorney are frequently just outright lies. If you had done something so illegal that there was a lawsuit against you or they had a warrant in your name, you wouldn’t end up getting a phone call about it.
If you actually did something that required something like this, you would end up with them at your door. And if you are getting sued, you will be served papers before you get any phone calls. Any calls of the sort are definitely a scam, and they will ask you for money to make the problem go away. Not only is it illegal to get such bribes, but if you do fall for it, they will keep calling you for money.
Don’t fall for anything of the sort!
