On Wednesday, July 24, the King County Sheriff’s Office issued the following scam alert:
Have you received a call about an issue with your Social Security number from a Social Security Administration “agent”? If so, you’re not alone.
Our office continues to receive reports of scammers attempting to obtain Social Security numbers from unsuspecting victims. Protect your identity using the following tips 🔽
The Social Security Administration (SSA) will NOT:
- Request your Social Security number over the phone without prior notice
- Ask you to send cash, wire transfer funds, or purchase gift cards
The SSA’s official Customer Service line is 1 (800) 772-1213, but don’t assume that a call is legitimate because that number appears on Caller ID. Scammers can “spoof” their number to make it appear to be from the SSA.
Hang up immediately if you receive an unsolicited call, a call from a different SSA number, or are unsure if the caller is an official SSA agent.
Do NOT click links in emails without verifying the source. Official emails will come from an address ending in “.gov/”.
If you’ve been victimized or received a suspicious call/email, report the incident to the Federal Trade Commission at FTC.gov/complaint.