BALTIMORE — If the government calls, your instinct may be to answer, but the person on the other end may not be who they say are.
Government impostors are threatening or claim to save consumers money.
A recent alert from a scammer pretending to be the Social Security Administration claims the receiver’s account has been suspended due to illegal activities.
“Your benefits have been suspended because your number was involved in an illegal drug buy. I know people that that's happened to,” said Karen Morgan, Executive Council Member with AARP Maryland.
Morgan added this is one of the top scams impacting older Americans. And they work because losing these benefits can be life-altering.
“What if you're 75 or even 80 and you think your Social Security benefits are going to stop? What are you supposed to do? How are you supposed to pay the mortgage or the rent or get food? And how are you supposed to find another job to replace that income? So, this is like visceral fear at the most primal level,” Morgan described.
So far this year, the Federal Trade Commission received more than 164,000 reports of government impostors with more than $483 million in total losses. The average median loss is $1,400.
“Veterans will get messages saying, well, you know, we want to help you get benefits faster, we're looking for ways to get your application through, so contact us. The Veterans Administration doesn't do business that way,” Morgan said.
The FTC also ranked the government agencies impersonated the most. The Social Security Administraton takes the top spot followed by Health and Human Services – Medicare, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, United States Postal Service, and the Federal Trade Commission.
The top contact method is by phone, but can also come by email or text.
“The Social Security Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, other government agencies will never reach out to you that way. If they want to contact you, it's going to be mostly by the U.S Postal Service,” said Morgan.
The AARP also recommends asking your loved ones what they would say if they got a call like this, and to put a script by the phone telling the caller to send them a letter, or to contact their attorney.
Another clear sign it’s a scam is if you’re asked to wire money or pay using gift cards, cryptocurrency, or a payment app. The government doesn’t accept payment this way.
And if you ever have a question, hang up and contact the agency directly by visiting their website.
