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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
scam
Topics
Credit, Loans, and Debt
Scams
Government Impersonators
Social Security Impersonators

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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.

SeanT
November 29, 2019
Three calls this morning from 866-290-3142 with the same message. I called back and asked why they were bothering me and she responded because they wanted some of my money.
happenedtome
December 03, 2019
Just got the same call!
jjones
December 05, 2019
17815831695 supposedly a number from arlington, ma.
Bob
December 10, 2019
361-282-0063 moulton tx suspending ssn How the ftc and att let this happen is derelict for the former and criminal for the latter
George
December 10, 2019
New number scamming ppl (862)334-6012 Be careful ppl.
Naga
December 11, 2019
I just got a call from 508-674-2453, 707-185-9776. He is saying my SSN got involved with some fraudulent active in Elpaso TX. He said he was calling from SSN administration office of Massachusetts. For confirmation he asked to Google the phone numbers for the address. He is asking my assets. I told him I will check with near by police officer in my area.. He even provided the chef officer name who can help me with this issue in my location. And he gave me lot of things like caseid, his name, his badge, Warrent ID. Can anyone suggest me if this calls are really true or fake. But the guy didn't sounds like an American..
Gary
December 13, 2019
Just woke up and had voice mail by robot automated call about my SS # being suspended due to fraudulent criminal activity. They wanted me to contact my para legal @ 515-216-397. Yup, I couldn't even call back to mess with them even if I wanted, they didn't give me the whole phone number. lol.
DallasTexas
December 13, 2019
I just received the scam call from 1-800-938-0593
Ohio Girl
December 13, 2019
Received the call from 800.449.7061. Answered and there was a recording that my SSN might be suspended if I didn't act right away. I did not wait to pass go and collect $200. I hung up.
TruthSeeker
December 16, 2019
I just received this very same scam voicemail from an 800-698-0318 recording.
Neal
December 18, 2019
Same garbage from Texas number: 512-959-4509
Don't get scammed
December 19, 2019
I just had this happen to me and the number they used was (800) 643-2838
Annoyed
December 19, 2019
My 97 year old blind mother gets these calls at least once a month. Terrifies her..doesnt understand it all, and from her generation tries to make logic out of a bogus conversation. When I get these calls I simply say ...’Boris? .. is that you..are you out of jail again?...
Kanth
January 06, 2020
I got a call from the below number saying that my SSN is suspended as i involved in criminal activity and prompted to dial '1' to speak to Social Security Administrator. I got call from 800-552-3423
bala rajan
January 08, 2020
Got the call from the below num 1-361-20200109
JackieG
January 09, 2020
I was listening to my messages on my voicemail just now and there was a message from a supposedly person from Social security. The message was a recorded sounding message not live person,and it said: Hello we are calling you to inform you that your social security number has been suspended because of suspicious fraudulent activity, then it says to review your case press #1..well similar phone calls I have received before in the past and reported ,I immediately googled ,and there it was.same question with the correct knowledgeable information. "YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER NEVER GETS SUSPENDED"....THIS PHONE CALL IS A HOAX AND SHOULD BE REPORTED TO PROPER AUTHORITIES, IT IS LISTED WERE TO REPORT ON GOOGLE..I HOPE THIS HELPS ANYONE THAT MAY THINK THIS PHONE CALL WAS REAL,BECAUSE IT IS NOT..
Concerned
January 10, 2020
Just got a call saying my ssn was suspended because it was under investigation and to press 1 for more information... I just hung up lol 18003982052
NAVY
January 13, 2020
Time for our government/SocialSecurity to get this Scam fixed and out of business...it is beyond aggravating!
Mary S.
January 15, 2020
Please add ‭+1 (888) 455-0050‬ to your list of numbers got this call today.
Beware of fraud
January 15, 2020
‭+1 (800) 317-6130‬ IF THIS NUMBER CALLS YOU HANG UP ITS FRAUD THIER TRYING TO SAY YOUR SSN IS SUSPENDED DUE TO SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY AND TO TALK TO AN AGENT PRESS ONE NOW! DO NOT DO IT JUST HANG UP!!!!!
User Name
January 17, 2020
8889398012 left same voicemail on my phone
BabyGurl909
January 17, 2020
I just received a call stating that mySSN has been suspended. It was a machine. Calling from the number 1(‭888) 727-4013‬.
Vill
January 20, 2020
I recieved a call today from 1.800.147.7245 saying they were from s.s. That my social security card was being suspended because of suspicious criminal activity. Then they asked to verify my social and I refused. They then got upset and hung up.
JustMe
January 21, 2020
Just received a recorded call from (800)768-6487 saying that it was the Social Security Administration calling to inform me that my social security number has been suspended and to press 1 for more info on my case.
suga
January 24, 2020
I received a call from one 800-234-4501 telling me that my social security number was suspended due to suspicious activity and that they were from the Social Security administration office and yes it was a man
Buckeye
January 24, 2020
I got a call this morning 1/24/20 stating my SS# was suspended due to suspicious activity. The voice was computer generated. The number to call was 229-299-5155.
IWonderIfThisN…
January 24, 2020
I keep getting calls from +1 (669) 228-6087. Telling me there is a complaint on my SSN & Driver's license number. I blocked them after they called me 8 times in one afternoon.
Mei
January 27, 2020
I just received a phone call saying that my social security number had been cancelled from 1-800-239-1461. It didn’t sound right when they were asking me for my social security number and luckily I hang up the phone.
Alabama
January 27, 2020
Just got an automated message saying my social security number was suspend due to suspicious activity and to "press 1" to talk to someone about it 800-795-0454
Brent
January 28, 2020
The call I just received was from ‭(539) 333-4080‬. Same thing. He said he is a police officer and that my SS# is being suspended because there seems to be fraud associated with it. I am supposed to call him back immediately. Right. No.
You cant fool me
January 28, 2020
I received a call from 609-722-7213 saying that they were blocking my SS number and to kindly press 1 to contact their officer or kindly call them back. Oh and they also said, "thank you and have blessed day".
Tinker
January 30, 2020
I received call from Ofc Terry Lemon and then Mike Olsen from Social Security advising me that my Social Security Number is Frozen due to fraudulent charges in Texas. He wanted my bank account number, etc. Which I did not give him. He proceeded to get angry with me and kept pushing for it till I finally hung up the phone.
Gperson
January 31, 2020
I just received a call also from a 0000000 phone number as if that seems legitimate, then the automated voice message and surprise surprise a very other side of the world sounding "social security officer". Also the background sounded like he was taking calls on the stock market floor. Yikes.
TMA
January 31, 2020
Call from 509-260-4431 saying it is going to be suspended...
Annoyed
January 31, 2020
Got a call like this from Massachusetts. 1-857-327-5995 I just hung up and googled it and found this.
EPS4EVA
January 31, 2020
Do not entertain any calls from the supposed "social security office" letting you know that your SSN was suspended. SCAM!
Josh
January 31, 2020
I just received a call from 1-893-118-1253 it was recording saying that my social security number has been suspended press 1 to resolve the issue. So I pushed one and the gentleman with the Indian accent said that he would help me fix the problem and ask me for my name. I said well the first problem I have is that social security numbers cannot be suspended my parents work for the social security administration. He asked me how do I know this and again I repeated to him that my parents work for the government in the social security office. So he hung up.
Yeppers
February 03, 2020
Got a call from 210-807-7176 and 210-983-8617
MsDankpool
February 04, 2020
I just got a phone call from a SSN scam the number is 1-854-149-5742 the foreign lady hung up after I wouldn’t give her my full name.
Saskins
February 05, 2020
I just had a second one of these calls yesterday. When I push one and waited for a representative, the person who got on the phone line asked me how could they help me. I told him you should know you called me. Then he asked me for my full name, and I asked him, who calls a person and doesn't know the name of the person they called for. He said he needed me to verify it. I told him this is a scam, and I am reporting them, and I hung up.
alm
February 05, 2020
I got a recorded message on voicemail from (917) 1174822 saying my social security is suspended.
Turkeydoodcantrell
February 05, 2020
I've got about 10 calls just today...seems their picking up the pace a few months ago they called maybe 5 or 6 times. It freaked me out bad back then but soon after I found this site with tons of other people who had the same thing happen.
Tom
February 05, 2020
Within the past week, we have received two phone messages saying they are from SSA Dept. and my SSA # has been suspended due to suspicious activity. Calls were from the following phone numbers: 203-270-5276 and 205-246-2419. Obviously a scam so we did not return the calls.
shburris
February 07, 2020
FYI -- i just started receiving these call in January 2020, so be aware that this scam is still going around.
SeaTravler
February 07, 2020
Got a suspended SSN scam call today from 800-402-0192. They left a nice robo message. Please do something about this, government that I pay taxes to!
Concerned citizen
February 12, 2020
I just got a social security suspension call from this number ‭(743) 233-3720‬... they said My number is up for scam alerts and fraud... and press a number to speak to a investor.... I blocked them... so don’t answer these scam crooks.
Ann Marie
February 12, 2020
+15163242736 is the number used to call and tell me my SSN had been suspended.
Sam
February 18, 2020
Got the same scam call today for this number ‭+1 (202) 657-4297‬
SillyScammersT…
February 18, 2020
This number tried the SSN suspension thing on me just a few minutes ago....9164097160
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