Skip to main content

A caller says that he’s from the government and your Social Security number (SSN) has been suspended. He sounds very professional. So you should do exactly what he says to fix things…right?

Wrong.

The FTC has gotten reports about scammers trying to trick people out of their personal information by telling them that they need to “reactivate” their supposedly “suspended” SSNs. The scammers say the SSN was suspended because of some connection to fraud or other criminal activity. They say to call a number to clear it up – where they’ll ask you for personal information.

Thing is, Social Security numbers do not get suspended. This is just a variation of a government imposter scam that’s after your SSN, bank account number, or other personal information. In this variation of the scheme, the caller pretends to be protecting you from a scam while he’s trying to lure you into one.

Here are a few tips to protect yourself:

  • Never give out or confirm personal information over the phone, via email or on a website until you’ve checked out whoever is asking you for it.
  • Do not trust a name, phone number, or email address just because it seems to be connected with the government. Con artists use official-sounding names and may fake caller ID or email address information to make you trust them. Besides, the government normally contacts people by postal mail.
  • Contact government agencies directly, using telephone numbers and website addresses you know to be legitimate.

If someone has tried to steal your personal information by pretending to be from the government, report it to the FTC.

 

Search Terms

It is your choice whether to submit a comment. If you do, you must create a user name, or we will not post your comment. The Federal Trade Commission Act authorizes this information collection for purposes of managing online comments. Comments and user names are part of the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) public records system, and user names also are part of the FTC’s computer user records system. We may routinely use these records as described in the FTC’s Privacy Act system notices. For more information on how the FTC handles information that we collect, please read our privacy policy.

The purpose of this blog and its comments section is to inform readers about Federal Trade Commission activity, and share information to help them avoid, report, and recover from fraud, scams, and bad business practices. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. But keep in mind, this is a moderated blog. We review all comments before they are posted, and we won’t post comments that don’t comply with our commenting policy. We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect.

  • We won’t post off-topic comments, repeated identical comments, or comments that include sales pitches or promotions.
  • We won’t post comments that include vulgar messages, personal attacks by name, or offensive terms that target specific people or groups.
  • We won’t post threats, defamatory statements, or suggestions or encouragement of illegal activity.
  • We won’t post comments that include personal information, like Social Security numbers, account numbers, home addresses, and email addresses. To file a detailed report about a scam, go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

We don't edit comments to remove objectionable content, so please ensure that your comment contains none of the above. The comments posted on this blog become part of the public domain. To protect your privacy and the privacy of other people, please do not include personal information. Opinions in comments that appear in this blog belong to the individuals who expressed them. They do not belong to or represent views of the Federal Trade Commission.

Ridiculous
June 14, 2019

In reply to by Grrr

Yep, me too! Same numbers! And they just keep calling! 4 calls today. I am going to block them but it sounds like they will just change their number.
Irritated
June 19, 2019

In reply to by Ridiculous

I received 3 calls also today 510-112-7478 510-112-7472
omp
June 17, 2019

In reply to by Grrr

For me: 1-510-112-7256, -7261, -7281, -7301 One time it came as "Unknown" They are still coming. Don't know how long this is going to go on...
It Continues
August 02, 2019

In reply to by E

I received a call that matches this exactly. It was a robo call that went to voicemail saying my SSN is being suspended due to suspicious activity. If I wanted to know more about the case then I needed to press one. The number was 833-579-8604.
Annoyed but not dumb
August 08, 2019

In reply to by It Continues

Same thing but number was 888-245-6906
S
December 12, 2019

In reply to by E

I got same type of phone call at 10:54 am ( +1(800) 649-3904) saying your SSN is going to suspend due to some suspicious activities and to take immediate action by press “1” and i was suspicious still I press “1” to know what all this about and I spoke to a lady and I told her ‘ I get a call about my ssn is going to suspend so I want to know and she ask my name and I just pronounced my name because I know it will be hard for her to pick up my name and that happened exactly and ask me to spell my name, so here I ask her is it legit ? At first she was like hmm....hmm and ask her again is it legit? At this point she just hung up on me. It was unpleasant experience.
Winnie1
June 19, 2019

In reply to by SuspiciousMind

Yes I just got the same thing "press 1" saying my ss# would be suspended due to criminal activity. #1-877-696-1100. Disgusting people trying to scam hardworking tax paying people!
lkench
September 03, 2019

In reply to by SuspiciousMind

Add 888-428-6240 to the list of numbers the suspended SSN , press "1" scam is coming from. If my SSN could actually be suspended, that means no taxes from me, right? LOL :D
Rosco
October 01, 2019

In reply to by SuspiciousMind

I just got called from 781-207-9434 about suspended SSN from the crime unit. I called back and the person wanted to know what I called about. When I said it was a call re: suspended SSN, he hung up!
alexa
June 25, 2019

In reply to by Feelingupset

SS Scam saying my SS# suspended. Caller I’d # 800 234-6988
Daniel
July 01, 2019

In reply to by alexa

I got 4 calls with the same lines about my SSN being suspended from 866-862-6548 866-260-5472 800-772-1213 and 800-562-2208
Cass81
August 13, 2019

In reply to by alexa

SS Scam saying my Ssn# suspended #866-366-9549
Old grannyse y…
July 12, 2019

In reply to by Feelingupset

Me, too. Number was ‭+1 (866) 129-3438‬. Did not think SSNs could be suspended so checked it out and found this. Am in southern CA and Number used today was: ‭+1 (866) 129-3438‬
rick s
December 09, 2019

In reply to by Feelingupset

Robo call they call everyone in thee area. They don’t know who you are unless you call back and give info
Kmm123
May 31, 2019

In reply to by MerlinSP

I got the same call from a Missouri number today. I’ve never even been there. I knew it was a scam. Your post reassured that. Thanks!
LM123
June 23, 2019

In reply to by Kmm123

I live in Missouri and also received a phone call yesterday about this.
Clarke
July 16, 2019

In reply to by MerlinSP

How did they obtain your phone number? These scammers simply use computer systems that dial random numbers hoping to reach someone who will fall for their scam.
123shazam
July 17, 2019

In reply to by MerlinSP

I got a recorded message saying my social security number had been suspended because of suspicious activity. They called from 1-185-415-6332. I don't believe this is in the US
Blessings
September 03, 2019

In reply to by 123shazam

I got the same message today from this number 1888 901 5264
Ljen123
July 21, 2019

In reply to by MerlinSP

They dial random numbers until they find someone gullible enough to give them info (sadly, there are plenty who do.) As for THEIR number, it would seem they have one of those programs that suto-rotates through a list of numbers. It doesn't mean they are in Manhattan or even in the US. That's just the number that came up in the cycle for your call. My understanding is that most of these calls have been originating from underground call centers in India.
John Cowan
October 31, 2019

In reply to by MerlinSP

332 is a legitimate Manhattan area code. It was put into effect in 2017 because 212 and 646 are filling up fast. They probably got your number by dialing at random.
Really
June 12, 2019

In reply to by UGH!

I got a robo call today stating they were suspending my ssn due to fraudulent activity. The number was 1-800 109-3535
Ladyleo
September 24, 2019

In reply to by UGH!

I've gotten several of these calls claiming to be a marshall agent wanting to tell me that they suspended my social security number I had told them that I'm actually a US Deputy myself and I'm sending police to their location boy I wish I could have been there to see the look on their face
birdie
October 22, 2019

In reply to by UGH!

210-880-4816 was the number that called me! Be careful
Annoyed in Iowa
November 27, 2019

In reply to by UGH!

Same here! The only thing that worries me is I'm on disability and I didn't know for sure if it was a scam or not telling me that I was about to lose my disability! It's looking more and more like a scam.
MJ
December 02, 2019

In reply to by UGH!

I keep getting the same call from a (315) area code. I look up the area code and it seems to be coming the Syracuse region. Despite all my efforts to block their call, the scammers keep using different numbers starting with the 315 area code. Has anyone receive any call from this area code?
MRB
January 08, 2020

In reply to by UGH!

As an American Citizen living abroad, the number the scammer used was 1-800-622-6000
CMP
April 03, 2019

In reply to by Nikki217

I received three calls this morning from numbers beginning with 646 (three different numbers) leaving three voicemails. All three asked me to 'simply press 1 to follow up on fraudulent activity'.
Ssscamcalls
April 12, 2019

In reply to by CMP

I got a voicemail message calls today from 646-145-8755 & 918-938-3714 saying they were from "Social Security/DES" and my ss# had suspicious fraud activity & they were going to suspend my ss#.
TLD
April 25, 2019

In reply to by CMP

I got one too let it go to voicemail from New York City, New York 646-542-2652 said press 1 to follow up on fraudulent activity came I looked it up came from some mobile cellphone in New York City, NY.
Vondrax
May 07, 2019

In reply to by CMP

I received a robocall for this today. I pressed 1 to see what they would ask for. When the answering party asked for my name, I said that first I needed to know what suspended meant. She told me to Google it, then hung up.
Vondrax
May 25, 2019

In reply to by CMP

I received a robocall for this today. I pressed 1 to see what they would ask for. When the answering party asked for my name, I said that first I needed to know what suspended meant. She told me to Google it, then hung up.
Sherrybond007
April 25, 2019

In reply to by Nikki217

Me too only it went straight yp voice mail because i have a scan blocker on my phone.
eloquent energy
April 29, 2019

In reply to by Sherrybond007

BEWARE! I just listened to TWO voicemails that I received. It was an automated (Robot) msg saying that my SSN had been suspended due to suspicious activity. Press 1 to call them back!!! GET THE HELL OUT OF MY LIFE!
Meddah4
May 03, 2019

In reply to by eloquent energy

Yeah, I received the same recorded call. Verbatim, "This call is from the Dept. of Social Security Administration. The reason you have received this phone call from our dept. is to inform you that we just suspend your Social Security number because we found some suspicious activity. So if want know about this case, just press 1, thank you." They left no call back number. Boo-hoo me. Phifft!
Reesecup
June 12, 2019

In reply to by Meddah4

I just received the same exact call today from 1214107770.
ScotmanDon't u…
March 13, 2020

In reply to by Reesecup

I got same call that my ssn was suspended for illegal activity they said call them or get arrested.
EH
July 08, 2019

In reply to by Meddah4

Add 646-593-8974 to the list. I did not answer, but that was the voice message.
Queenie
July 31, 2019

In reply to by Meddah4

I got the same voicemail too, did you get it from a number that goes by 878-571-5651
Kr0224
September 12, 2019

In reply to by Meddah4

I just got the exact same call, it wasn't a unknown number so I was able to find out that 12108053376 was the number they called from. It's a Texas number. I live in Missouri.
Lily1978
May 21, 2019

In reply to by Nikki217

I received the same robocall from 858-816-1511 - automated and indicated fraudulent activity and that my SSN was suspended - said to press a number to be connected. I just hung up.
Nick M.
June 07, 2019

In reply to by Jfran7

So far 6 calls over a week's period. They will leave messages - that is their robot doesn't get that they've reached my voicemail. These people have unlimited phone numbers at their disposal (all spoofed), so while I diligently block each one, they keep calling from a new number. I've tried calling them back, and all but one number had been disconnected. The one where a voice message answered stated that they were sorry, but their number had been compromised. These scam attempts aren't just annoying, they appear to be hurting innocent businesses, whose numbers have been spoofed. The FTC should do something, but then the bases are probably overseas. Oh well!