A recent alert from the Social Security Administration (SSA) warns about a new scam. Fraudsters are sending fake tech support messages from Amazon or PayPal to trick people into contacting a fake SSA employee.

This scammer then claims that your Social Security Number and records are at risk, aiming to deceive you into revealing personal information.

How The Scam Works

The scam starts with a fake message about a problem with your Amazon or PayPal account. Victims are instructed to contact a tech support agent for help. Once in touch with the scammer, the agent will falsely claim that there are also issues with your Social Security Number (SSN) or records. They then offer to connect you with a supposed SSA agent to address these issues.

Anthony Monaco, Special Agent in Charge of the SSA Office of the Inspector General, describes this scam as a “long-con,” likening it to “pig butchering” schemes that aim to drain your resources through deceitful tactics.

Do This To Avoid These Scams

Scammers use a sophisticated and prolonged approach in this type of scam, gradually earning the victim’s trust over time.

Initially, the scam begins with an unrelated issue or a separate scam, diverting attention away from the real target: your Social Security Number (SSN). Scammers often possess detailed personal information, such as Social Security retirement age, which enhances the scam’s believability.

As the scheme progresses, victims are typically led to an in-person meeting where they are persuaded to hand over valuable items, like gold, cash, or cryptocurrency, for “safekeeping.” This final step often involves an accomplice or an unwitting participant, such as an Uber driver, who is instructed to collect the valuables.

One illustrative case involved a woman from Ohio who was deceived into liquidating over half a million dollars in retirement savings to purchase gold, which was subsequently handed over to a scammer posing as an SSA representative. The scammers maintained the deception for months, instructing the victim to keep the matter confidential.

This type of scam can cause substantial financial harm. The scammers are adept at manipulation, using smooth and convincing tactics to ensure their victim remains unaware of the fraud.

To combat such scams, it’s crucial to be vigilant. Always verify the identity of anyone claiming to be from a government agency or financial institution and avoid sharing personal information or valuables without thorough verification.

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