This Social Security scam is just evil

WaPo ^ | August 12, 2019 at 6:30 a.m. CDT | By Michelle Singletary

[Red Badger]

Imagine you’re retired and your primary source of income is your monthly Social Security check.

Your telephone rings and an automated message says your Social Security number has been “suspended” because of some suspicious activity. You may even be threatened with arrest if you don’t call the telephone number provided in the automated message.

If someone calls saying that your Social Security number and the benefits connected to it may be in jeopardy, it’s understandable that you might panic. You’re told that to “reactivate” your Social Security number, you have to pay a fee or buy gift cards. You have reservations, but fear of being cut off from the money you so desperately need overtakes any reservations you may have.

So you call the number.

What comes next can be devastating.

“My mother is 76 and has early Alzheimer’s,” one reader wrote. “She received a call saying that her Social Security information was compromised and that the only way to rectify the situation was to buy $3,200 in gift cards to Target and GameStop and give the codes to an ‘employee.’ She was told the money would be deposited back into her bank account. Obviously, the majority of people would understand that this is a scam, but she is easily confused and gave away all of the money in her checking account. And once it was gone, there was no way to help her or recover the money.”

This Texas woman’s daughter, who wrote to me, said one store employee warned her mother that she was probably being scammed.

[FamiliarFace]

“Thoughts and prayers”. I hear you on that.

[Fledermaus]

If you rely on SS for your sole retirement income you are an idiot.

[cherry]

people still leave the car keys for those with dementia or Alzheimers to get at.....probably too much to ask them to keep their debit and credit cards and bank statements locked up......

[cherry]

I say this with a 90 mil....I don't care if they were somewhat sensible when they were younger, but at that age, they don't hear well, don't remember easily, get confused, get panicky and paranoid and all the same time, think they are soooo smart that they can run their own affairs.....

the problem with some in that generation is they don't want to give up any little power of decision making, even if they don't know what they're doing....that is my mil in a nutshell......

[trebb]

I sometimes have to pick up when I’m expecting an “outside” call..the one word I never lead off with is “Yes”...(or any other positive derivatives that could indicate assent).

Hope your business is doing you good...

[cuban leaf]

We knew an elderly lady who’s family removed the spark plug wires from her car, but gave her the keys. :)