Residents are being warned about scam calls being made
regarding problems with Social Security numbers. Several Wright County
residents have been receiving robo-calls claiming there is something wrong with
their Social Security numbers that needs to be fixed. The scammers are masking
numbers, including some that show up on Caller ID claiming to be a Wright
County office.
If you receive such a call, do not respond because it
is not legitimate. You are asked to call the national Social Security Administration
(SSA) number at (800) 772-1213 to report that you have received a call
concerning your Social Security number.
According to SSA policy, the office will never threaten
you with arrest or legal action if you do not immediately pay a debt or
fine/fee, tell you your SSN has been suspended, offer you an increase in benefits
to resolve identity theft issues in exchange for a payment, require payment via
prepaid debit cards, retail gift cards, wire transfers, Bitcoin or cash, demand
secrecy in handling Social Security-related problem, text you unsolicited or
email you attached documents containing your personally identifiable
information.
In addition, Wright County would not be calling residents
regarding issues dealing with Social Security numbers or asking someone to
provide a SSN over the phone.
Scammers have been using COVID-19 as a rationale for
trying to take advantage of people, but be aware that the Social Security
Administration has very strict policies about how it interacts with individuals
and it is almost always by mail unless someone reaches out to them by phone or
email.