Several El Dorado residents have reported being targeted by a scam where someone impersonating a representative of the Social Security Administration has asked them to divulge personal information.
Lt. Chris Lutman, public information officer for the El Dorado Police Department, said scams such as these are affecting people throughout the state; in fact, it is a national problem, he said.
“The threatening robocalls come from what appears to be the Social Security Administration telling you that your Social Security number has been linked to suspicious activity and if you don’t take immediate action, your benefits will be canceled,” Lutman said. “The Social Security Administration is aware of the robocalls and says it’s all a scam.”
One victim of the scam said she received an automated call that was identified as coming from the Social Security Administration; she was informed that her Social Security number had been flagged due to suspicious activity and that she needed to press ‘1’ to continue to a live representative.
She realized after pressing ‘1’ that the call was a scam and hung up, she said. Lutman said even that could be too late.
“You should hang up, because if you press anything or try to speak to anyone, the scammers will know they reached a live person,” he said.
According to the Office of the Inspector General of the Social Security Administration, the intent of these types of scams is typically to steal one’s identity or money by accessing their Social Security number or bank account information.
Generally, no government agency will call a person and ask them to transmit personal information over the phone. They will not request advance payment for services or monies promised, either.
“If you’re receiving a call and the person is requesting payment of some type, usually through debit cards, prepaid debit cards or gift cards, or sometimes wire transfers, that’s a clue that it’s a fraudulent call,” Lutman said. “If you think you may have a problem with your Social Security benefits, the agency says you should go to their local office.”
Veronica Taylor, of the Dallas Social Security Administration field office, said representatives from the administration may sometimes contact people, but generally only those with ongoing business with the office.
“When in doubt, individuals should hang up without engaging the caller,” she said in an email correspondence.
The Union County Sheriff’s Office has also issued directives on avoiding scams. According to the UCSO, these types of phone scams often originate outside the United States, making them difficult to prosecute.
Taylor said those who believe they may have been the victim of such a scam should report it to the Office of the Inspector General at 1-800-269-0271 or at oig.ssa.gov/report.
For more information about common scams, visit arkansasag.gov or call 800-482-8982.
Caitlan Butler can be reached at 870-862-6611 or [email protected].