In an effort to combat a rising trend of scams targeting Social Security beneficiaries, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has issued a warning to Americans about the dangers of disclosing personal information to criminals. The warning came as part of the annual Slam the Scam Day, held on March 7, which aims to raise awareness and protect individuals from falling victim to these scams.

According to the SSA's Office of the Inspector General, there has been a significant increase in reported scams between the third quarter of the financial year in 2022 and the same period in 2023. The number of reported scams rose by 61.7 percent, from just over 13,000 to 21,080. These scams employ a variety of tactics, known as the five P's: Pretend, Prize or Problem, Pressure, and Payment.

Common scams involve fraudsters claiming that a person's Social Security number or benefits have been suspended and that personal information is needed to reactivate or reissue them. Others involve requesting payment to access benefits or demanding immediate payment for an alleged debt owed to the SSA. Scammers may also use deceptive tactics such as citing "badge numbers," using fraudulent Social Security letterhead, or creating imposter social media pages to target individuals for payment or personal information.

The SSA warns that scammers have also taken advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic by mentioning coronavirus-related issues like stimulus checks and economic impact payments. These scams have been successful across all age groups, but older generations have been particularly vulnerable and lucrative targets for criminals.

According to the Office of the Inspector General's quarterly scam report, individuals between the ages of 70 and 84 lost the largest average amount of money to scams in the third quarter of 2023, with an average of $14,459 stolen. In comparison, individuals aged 29 and under lost an average of $3,809. The report also revealed that individuals under 50 were more likely to fall for scams during this period, with 816 individuals falling prey to fraudulent tactics, compared to 741 individuals aged over 50.

As part of the effort to combat these scams, the SSA urges the public to protect their personal information, remain vigilant, refrain from giving money, and report any scam attempts to oig.ssa.gov. Martin O'Malley, commissioner of Social Security, emphasizes the importance of using every available tool to raise awareness and protect American citizens against Social Security imposter scams. Gail S. Ennis, inspector general for SSA, expresses gratitude for the collaborative efforts and partnerships formed over the years and stresses the need to continue working together to combat these pervasive scams.

On the fifth National Slam the Scam Day, the SSA remains committed to increasing public awareness and combating the ongoing threat posed by scammers. The agency recognizes the persistence of these criminals and aims to continue its efforts to slam the scam through collaboration and awareness-raising initiatives.