Attorney General Warns Missourians about New Telephone Scam

JEFFERSON CITY –– Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley has issued a scam alert, warning Missouri residents about a new telephone scam. The Attorney General’s Office has received numerous complaints this week from Missouri residents after being contacted by would-be scammers claiming to represent the Social Security Administration. 

Those who have received these scam calls report receiving a phone call from someone telling them that their social security benefits have been suspended and they must call back in order to fix the problem. When consumers return the call they are asked to provide personal information that the scammer can then use to commit identity theft or other fraud. Examples of the types of information these scammers might request include: social security number, date of birth, and address.

The Attorney General’s Office warns citizens not to provide personal information over the telephone unless absolutely certain about who is on the other end of the line. When the Social Security Administration calls individuals, the agency has typically contacted the person previously via mail. Anyone who receives a call from someone claiming to be from the Social Security Administration should hang up and contact the agency using their real telephone number, 800-772-1213.

If you receive a suspicious call from someone claiming to be from the SSA, you should report that information to the Office of Inspector General at 800-269-0271 or online at https://oig.ssa.gov/report. If you have questions about a phone call or any other type of communication claiming to be from the SSA, you can contact any SSA office or call SSA’s toll-free customer service number at 800-772-1213 to make sure it is legitimate. You may also contact the Missouri Attorney General’s Office at 866-289-9633. If you become a victim of this scam, report it to any FBI field office or the Missouri Attorney General’s Office at 800-392-8222.