If you're a senior... or you know a senior... tell them to be careful answering the phone. Men with heavy accents are calling... trying to trick folks into giving out their bank account information.
Two ladies called me... saying they were scared to death. They were told their Social Security checks would stop, their Medicare insurance coverage would end, and they'd no longer be able to get prescriptions... unless they verified their bank account number immediately over the phone.
Both ladies gave out their account info... and now have had to close them and open new ones.
The callers are rude, forceful, even threatening... using phony titles and toll free numbers which don't exist.
They're most likely working outside the U.S. so the crooks may never be caught.
Just know this... Social Security employees may call you... but their employees will never ask for your Social Security number, your date of birth, your mother's maiden name, or other identifiers... because they already have this information.
If you receive a call from Social Security... Check on it first by asking for the caller's name... then dialing this toll free number... 1-800-772-1213.
That way you can verify the reason for the call... and the person's identity before discussing anything.
It's your job to protect your personal information. Don't be coerced into giving it to a stranger... oo matter what their story.