Real SSA OIG agents will never ask you to give them cash or gift cards.
August 5, 2024 – SUNRISE, Fla. – The Social Security Administration (SSA) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) is receiving alarming reports that criminals are impersonating SSA OIG agents and are requesting that their targets meet them in person to hand off cash. Attention: SSA OIG agents will never ask for or collect money at your doorstep or in any in-person transaction. Be aware that any such requests are scams.
NEVER exchange money or funds of any kind with an individual claiming to be an SSA OIG agent. This new fraud trend introduces an element of physical danger to scams that never existed before.
This recent method of handing cash directly to a phony agent is a dangerous twist on a known scam tactic that pressures individuals to pay in a specific way by using cash or gift cards. SSA OIG and official government agencies do NOT conduct business in this manner.
“This is the latest example of how scammers are constantly evolving their tactics to intimidate or pressure people into making hasty decisions that usually involve stealing their target’s hard-earned money,” said Inspector General Gail S. Ennis. “While our agents are out in the field, they will not ask you for money. I urge you not to respond to these kinds of requests.”
WHAT TO DO IF YOU’VE BEEN SCAMMED
If you have been targeted by these scammers, take immediate action. Stop all communication with the scammer. Notify financial institutions and safeguard your accounts. Contact the police and file a police report. File a complaint with the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center. Report Social Security-related scams to SSA OIG. Report other scams to the Federal Trade Commission. Keep a record of all financial transaction information and communications with the scammer.
About AAABC (Area Agency on Aging of Broward County)
Sponsored by the Areawide Council on Aging of Broward County and the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, the Area Agency on Aging of Broward County is the nonprofit umbrella organization charged with the responsibilities of planning, coordinating, monitoring, and funding programs designed to meet the needs of over 476,486 year-round Broward senior residents including an Elder Helpline, Medicare Counseling, Health & Wellness classes and more. As the prime advocate for local Older Americans, the AAABC contracts with administering organizations for the following programs; senior centers; senior day care; site meals; home-delivered meals; Alzheimer’s in-home and facility respite; minor in-home repair; legal; transportation; homemaker personal care; respite; emergency response; and case management.
A Public Service Announcement from the Area Agency on Aging of Broward County, the state-designated disability and aging resource center for Broward County funded in part by the State of Florida Department of Elder Affairs.