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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.

 

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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.

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Kikis
March 07, 2019
I've been getting calls and voicemails from multiple numbers....i just delete them. It is getting very annoying, how do we stop it
Concerned Lady
March 08, 2019
Hi my husband got the same call several times yesterday and he is going direct tot he office. If this is happening confirm your credit as well is my suggestion. I got my identity taken recently and currently have started that process as well.
SharonF
March 08, 2019
Funny.. the robocall sounded interestingly authentic so I pressed to speak to someone.. I get a lot of wrong number calls.. the heavy accented fellow discerned quickly I wasn't to be toyed with and actually hung up on me lol..I told him "you called me" and I asked him "what name and number are you calling for"... click lol
MTpockets
April 05, 2019
My question concerns the son of a friend who just got out of prison where he has been for the past 28 years, going in at about 15. He tried to get his social security card, but is told the number he has is invalid. He can't get a Texas drivers license without the social security card. The title above suggests the card number is never retired. The Social Security has not been able to resolve the issue. What do we need to do to get him either the correct card or a replacement card?
FTC Staff
April 05, 2019

In reply to by MTpockets

Please talk with people at the Social Security Administration about this. The FTC doesn't have information about getting replacement Social Security cards.

Social Security has information online about replacing a lost card. That page tells you what documents you need to get a card. The National Reentry Resource Center has information about organizations that help people who were incarcerated.

Ms Tinkles
March 08, 2019
Also watch out for this number 866 404 2496. I'm getting numerous calls about my ss number getting suspended.
Ms Tinkles
March 08, 2019
Also watch out for this number 866 404 2496. I'm getting numerous calls about my ss number getting suspended.
Marilyn1977.m
April 05, 2019
7406751061. I got a call from this number from Ohio stating my social secrety number been suspended and ltess one for further case . Name on caller Amanda
mjm12398230948
March 12, 2019
Call came from 866 404 2739. Caller says that he’s from the government and my Social Security number (SSN) has been suspended. I just hung up.
KD
March 12, 2019
Just got the call today from 1866 404 2733 robo call about suspended SS# I let it go to voicemail.
CCFL
March 12, 2019
Got the robot call and voicemail twice from +1(877)253-4712 . And same call from +(409)330-8255 Orange ,TX . SS card suspended due to suspicious activity .
Frustrated Citizen
March 14, 2019
Why can't this be tracked down and stopped? Why is this criminal activity allowed to affect all of us?? What is our government doing about this besides posting articles about it???
Charity
March 14, 2019
I got a call from (214) 699-6203 caller ID indicated from Texas. When answered it was a man's voice saying that my SS Number was suspended and I needed to call 214.699.6203.
hmshipp
March 14, 2019
i got a vm said my ss# was suspended and to press 1 to speak to agent before my claim goes to federal court and i get arrested. Is this a scam also. when i called number back it saids its ss office but there closed. idk
burniemobile
March 14, 2019
(866)866-1213 watch out for this number as well
ispywithmygoodeye
March 15, 2019
1-332-877-8376 ...This call is from the Department of the Social Security Administration....we just suspend your social security number... just press one --- got this on voicemail
Don't use your…
March 15, 2019
I got one of those robot ones. Funny thing is, yes you can make a real number through Skype subscriptions. I only have that phone number simply because people at my grandparents don’t use technology. I live all the way in Germany, but the Skype number is US based. I knew that thing was a scam. It was a robot telling me that my number was suspended due to a criminal activity and that if I don’t respond or call back, I am due to be presented in front of a court magistrate. Yeah OK. Find something better to do with your time. I just block the number afterwords. I did report it on one of those.gov website’s.
KR
March 15, 2019
Just got 4 calls same message when i called back said it was disconnected. 800-772-1212, 800-772-4855, 800-772-9956
SoCalGuy
March 15, 2019
Got called 2 times today from 866-404-5712 and 866-404-8487 about social security being suspended, I knew it was a fraud right away. Very annoying, when will these guys get caught?
Frisby
March 16, 2019
I had a voicemail message. Very professional sounding gentleman. Said my SS number has been suspended and to press 1. Phone number was 332-878-1629
chaipin
March 16, 2019
holy frick i gota suspended ss number scam call. today via voicemail... i started panicing cus im really panicky person. but i was smart and looked this stuff up. glad im not the only one
Voicemail
March 18, 2019
I got the same call and I let it go to voicemail # is 6(464) 093- 7779 .
mathtutor101
March 18, 2019
I just got the 'your SSN is frozen' scam robocall. I did press 1 and spoke to 'George Benneton', badge number SC9654 working in Austin, TX. I told him I would call the Austin Social Security office and then hung up. With all the money we spend on law enforcement and defense, I don't understand why we can't identify these crooks and prosecute.
spin
March 19, 2019
Just got a call from 866-614-0032 saying they were from a social security office in Texas and that my social security number was suspended and I was to call them before they arrested me.
madashell
March 19, 2019
also called me, 866-404-1147 & 866-404-1172
Jessjay
March 19, 2019
Got the call from 866-404-1218 I let it go to voicemail they were stating by SSN got suspended due to fraudulent activity. And to press 1 for info about this case. Why are these people so stupid !!!! PLEASE BEWARE!!!
Funnygal
March 19, 2019
I have received 3 calls today. One on my home phone (which is unlisted) and 2 on my cell phone. All 3 numbers are registering as coming from Deer Park, TX # 281-241-7362. All 3 calls left automated messages stating I needed to call another number immediately because my SS# was suspended. Seriously - how dumb do these scammers think we are?
SAM
March 19, 2019
Received two calls today - one was a robo call the other was Raymond Anderson from the office of Inspector General of the Social Security administration about my suspended social security number and the so called "emergnecy number" to call 929-244-3445. and he repeated it so I would get it right...ha.
Scammermagnet
March 19, 2019
Just got the ssa call 1 888 424 2148. Called back and got an indian sounding woman. Had to ask her to speak english slowly. Tryunf to get my info. Asked where she was calling from?, she said Texas. I told her it was India. She hung up. Hope I get off the list.
Judicee
March 19, 2019
When an unfamiliar number calls you answer the phone “fraud department! How can I help you!”
Bond007
March 19, 2019
I got called 3 times in a span of 45 minutes. The caller used the following 2 numbers 866-404-1433 866-404-1354.
Fraudulent
March 19, 2019
I just got a call twice from two different numbers saying they suspended my SSA because of suspicious activity and wanted me to press 1 to hear more. The numbers came from 800 4546 and 800 7865
Peggy
March 19, 2019
Got the same call. From 866-404-6878. Didn't answer the call but the voicemail was a male saying my ssn was suspended. I know it's a scam. But heads up for this number as well.
Pg
March 20, 2019
I have been getting these calls at least 4 times a day. It’s an automated message saying my SSN has been suspended due to suspicious activity and to press 1 to get this cleared up and SSN reactivated. I just hang up I know it’s a scammer !!! The number is (800) 772-8585 and when you call it back it says the number can not be dialed from my calling area.
Mcoo
March 20, 2019
I did not answer the call, so it went to voice mail. The number the message came from was 800-772-1244, and the number the voice gave to call back was 203-397-6430. The caller pretended to be a Social Security officer. He became threatening at the end of the voice message, warning that I must call back because it involved "a very serious matter." We need legislation to block non-emergency personnel from making robocalls, and it should be backed up by steep fines and prison time!
Vida
March 21, 2019

In reply to by Mcoo

Omg. I just received a phone call that I didn't answer and was left with this exact voicemail. Same numbers too.
carlos
March 20, 2019
I got this too from 212-283-1213.
Jack
March 20, 2019
Where do those scammers get our cell phone numbers from?j dnt really understand .i had several calls since last 2months till March 20th.i hang them off
Krish
March 20, 2019
Got 4 calls within last couple of days These are the numbers I received calls from - 800-878-9438 and 800-484-9967
SSN suspended
March 21, 2019
I got a call from below number saying my SSN suspended 8772293542
Alkelly
March 21, 2019
Today I received 2 calls from these numbers 8664041979 & 8664041962.
LB
March 21, 2019
I’ve gotten at least five or six of these calls today. What can be done to stop them? I block the number every time then they just call from a different number. I don’t usually answer numbers I don’t recognize but I’ve been expecting a call from someone whose number I do not have today so I’ve picked up.
Saaya
March 21, 2019
‭Got a call from someone stating my SSN had been suspended due to illiegal activity. If I didn’t press 1 and talk to someone about it, it would be permanently cancelled. The call was from ‭+1 (916) 501-1213‬. I have had mail stolen so I had a few seconds of doubt but no way was I going through some call. Did a search for this site and figured I would call the related agency if I needed to.
notthistime
March 21, 2019
Received many calls today-Nomorobo has identified a variety of phone numbers and they all left their message that my SS# is suspended.
lucile
March 21, 2019
I got a call from 866-404-3829 and another a couple days later from 866-404-2509 (February 2019) and they left a robo message saying they were the social security administration and my social had criminal activity so they were suspending it. What a joke! Maddening too, because my cell is on the do not call list.
kevin
March 22, 2019
‭+1 (866) 404-2118‬
worried
March 22, 2019
i just received a call on my cell phone from 877-647-1213 it was a recording saying that my SSN was suspended and all benefits would be also unless i pressed 1 to speak to a rep. i hung up.i tried calling back the number but it wouldn't even go thru.the other day i received a similar call with no one speaking from 347-911-1213.
JR
March 22, 2019
Got Same SSN has been suspended - press 1. Hung up. Number was 855-741-2511
Dayang
March 22, 2019
18002661473 and 8883061520 Called me and left message a few times stating my social security is suspend.
Vk
March 22, 2019
I received a similar call from 8557412511 claiming it’s from SSA and they suspended my social because of some suspicious activity, and I should press 1. Called twice and left voicemails