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By Lance Robertson, Administrator and Assistant Secretary
for Aging, ACL
I’ve gotten the fake calls “from the Social Security
Administration,” and I bet you have too. I know I don’t need to tell you
that the people we serve are getting these calls every day.
Scammers are increasingly using phone calls, emails, and even
text messages to impersonate government officials in an attempt to steal
money and personal information.
The plan is simple for these “imposter scams.” They call,
email, or text claiming to represent a government agency such as the Social
Security Administration (SSA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), or
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Some even “spoof” their
phone number or email address so that it looks like the call or email is
coming from a legitimate government phone number or e-mail address. They
lure victims by telling them they’ve “won the lottery” sponsored by the
federal government or “owe a debt” to the IRS that must be paid back
immediately. They may even claim that a person’s social security number has
been linked to criminal activities and suspended, and all they have to do
to reactivate it is to “just confirm” the social security number. They will
often use threats of arrest or harsh legal action to create a sense of
panic, and demand payment via wire transfer or gift card (so the payment
cannot be traced).
For those targeted by these scams, the consequences can be
devastating. And while scammers can steal money from adults of all ages,
older adults and people with disabilities are often singled-out and
targeted.
One of the best protections against this and other scams is
knowledge. When people are familiar with these scams, they are less likely
to lose money. This is why ACL is working with our federal partners in the Elder Justice
Coordinating Council to raise awareness about these scams and to
stop the scammers and the harm they cause.
The power of the EJCC lies in collaboration and coordination
to achieve a greater impact than we could individually. Through the EJCC,
we are greater than the sum of our parts. When we’re tackling a public
awareness issue like imposter scams that means each of the 14 EJCC agencies
reaching out to stakeholders across the country with tips and tools for
spreading the word.
Here is what people need to know:
- The
government will never call out of the blue and ask for a social
security number.
- The
government will never ask for payment by gift card or wire transfer.
- Social
security numbers cannot be suspended.
These general tips can also help everyone protect themselves:
- If you are ever suspicious
about a call, hang up immediately.
- Never click on an e-mail
link or attachment unless you fully trust the sender.
- Never pay someone you do
not know well via gift card or wire transfer.
- Always be cautious about
giving out your personal or financial information, including your
Medicare or Social Security numbers, or any banking information.
- Sign up for the National
Do Not Call Registry.
The Department of Justice just filed
suit against some companies and individuals who are alleged to
be responsible for hundreds of millions of these scam calls. DOJ worked
with the Social Security Administration, the Federal Trade Commission, and
the United States Postal Inspection Service – all members of the EJCC – as
well as several other state and federal partners, to get the data needed to
bring this action and stop these calls. That’s why reporting the scam calls
matters!
There are many great resources available to help raise
awareness about imposter scams:
To combat these scams, we need to talk about them. This is why
I am looking forward to our June EJCC meeting, which will focus on the
topic of financial exploitation, including imposter scams. These
conversations are important. But even more important are the conversations
you can initiate now in your community.
Thank you for helping us get the word out!
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