Any crisis, like the COVID – 19 pandemic we are all experiencing, comes with the bad and the good. The pandemic has taken close to 100,000 American lives, but it has also brought many of us together to understand we are not alone. Every time we face a natural disaster or other event that threatens Americans we can count on people pulling together, but there is also the darker side of a crisis when some use it as an opportunity to prey on vulnerable people as a way to make money.
For a long time now scammers have targeted the Social Security benefits of vulnerable Americans through telephone and email schemes aimed at obtaining Social Security numbers and other personal information. Now we face a new threat as millions of Americans are due to receive their economic stimulus payments. Social Security has released information to help protect benefits, personal information and your economic stimulus payments from scammers. Those Social Security recommendations are below.
Unfortunately, there are scammers who will take advantage of the current situation and try to trick you out of your money and personal information. Don’t be fooled!
If you receive calls, emails, or other communications claiming to be from the U.S. Treasury Department, the Internal Revenue Service, the Social Security Administration, or another government agency offering COVID-19 related grants or economic impact payments in exchange for personal financial information, or an advance fee, or charge of any kind, including the purchase of gift cards, please do not respond. These are scams. Visit Treasury’s website if you suspect economic impact payment fraud. Report Social Security scams about COVID-19.
Below are some of the scams we know about, but there can be many variations:
The Inspector General of Social Security, Gail S. Ennis, is warning the public about fraudulent letters threatening suspension of Social Security benefits due to COVID-19-related office closures. We will not suspend or discontinue benefits because our offices are closed to the public for in-person service. Read this and other fraud advisories.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General is alerting the public about fraud schemes related to COVID-19. For example, scammers are offering COVID-19 tests to Medicare beneficiaries in exchange for personal details, including Medicare information. However, the services are unapproved and illegitimate.
