National Slam the Scam Day Approaching on March 10
posted 3/1/2022 in
Press Releases
Chances are someone you know has received an ominous call or message from someone pretending to be from the government, alleging that your information has been compromised or demanding immediate payment. Ignore it. This is just one of the tips that the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (SSA OIG) is sharing to warn consumers about these scams through a National Slam the Scam Day initiative taking place March 10, 2022.
Slam the Scam Day is an initiative to raise public awareness of the pervasive scams that continue to plague the nation and is part of the Federal Trade Commission’s National Consumer Protection Week, (NCPW) happening March 6-12, 2022. The initiative, which began in 2020 to combat Social Security- related scams, is now expanding to include other government imposter scams. In a government imposter scam, someone claims to be an SSA, or another government employee, and may ask for personal information, demand payment, or make threats. These scams primarily use the telephone, but scammers may also use email, text messages, social media, or U.S. mail.
Members of the media are encouraged to attend our press call on March 9, 2022, to hear more about our actions to combat these scams. Details will be released closer to the event.
Tips for spotting scams is a major thrust of this year’s campaign. SSA OIG partners with other government agencies, non-profit organizations, and the private sector to increase awareness about how to spot government imposter scams and avoid becoming a victim. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), from January through September 2021, consumers lost more than $331 million dollars to government imposter scams.
“As we continue working with our law enforcement partners and partners from the private sector to combat these sinister schemes, I urge consumers to simply hang up the phone, or delete suspicious texts and emails, without responding to the scammers,” Inspector General Ennis said. “That is the easiest and most effective way to avoid falling prey to these vicious scams.”
“We are concerned that fraudsters continue trying to trick people into providing personal information or money,” said Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting Commissioner of Social Security. “I urge people to remain alert, hang up if a scammer calls, and ignore their attempts if you receive a suspicious email, text, or letter.”
Please get in touch with Anne Marie Kofta or Stacie Speirs for additional information at 1-800-779-8707.