The ‘Long-Con’: Hybrid Tech Support and Government Impostor Scams Dig Deep into Victim’s Wallets

Fraudsters are highly creative. So much so, that their latest deceptive tactics involve a hybrid version of tech support and government impostor scams to defraud unwary victims.

According to a recent alert by the Social Security Administration (SSA), scammers are using fake Amazon or PayPal tech support messages (emails or texts) to trick recipients into contacting a fake SSA employee.

The purported government employee then attempts to convince victims that their Social Security Number and records on file are compromised in some way.

Related: Government Impostor Scams: Fraudsters Armed with SSNs Cold Call Victims and Coerce Them Into Buying Gold

Related: Tech Support Scammer Gets Seven Years in Prison for Stealing $6 Million from Elderly Victims

How The Scam Unfolds

The scam begins with victims receiving a phony message claiming there’s an issue with their Amazon or PayPal account.

Users who fall for the bait are told to get in touch with a tech agent to “help” resolve the supposed problem. As the scammer help fix the issue with your account,  he falsely claims to have also found issues with your Social Security Number (SSN) or record, insisting that they can immediately transfer you to an agent who works for the SSA.

“This type of ‘long-con’ is particularly egregious; other agencies refer to these schemes as ‘pig butchering’ because they are designed to deplete your resources,” said Anthony Monaco, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, Major Case Unit.

Characteristics of The Scam

Scammers play the long game in this type of scam, gaining your trust over time.

• The initial contact often involves a separate issue or scam, unrelated to your Social Security Number. The “issues” with your SSA records come later.
• Scammers will typically have detailed information about you, including Social Security retirement age, which increases the scam’s credibility.
• The scam usually culminates in an in-person meeting where the target is persuaded to hand over gold, cash, or cryptocurrency for safekeeping

“The scam often ends with an in-person meeting with an individual who is either part of the scheme or an unsuspecting participant, such as an Uber driver, during which the target turns over gold, cash, a crypto wallet, or some other currency for “safe keeping,” at the direction of an imposter SSA OIG federal agent,” the SSA said.

This scam can inflict severe financial damage on victims. In one case, a woman from Ohio was tricked into liquidating over half a million dollars in retirement savings to purchase gold that was handed over to the scammer who showed up at her home. The fraudsters held up the ruse for months on end and instructed the victim not to talk with anyone else about the issue.

"They were so slick, the guy I talked to every day had an answer for everything and he was smooth, I had no question he was who he said he was. He didn't hesitate on any of his answers, he knew what he was doing," the victim explained.

Scammers have many tricks up their sleeve, but there are ways you and your family can tackle even the most pervasive type of schemes.

When in doubt about any type of correspondence, proposal or offer, ask Scamio!

If you're suspicious about a certain phone call, email or SMS, Scamio provides a fast and efficient way to find out if you’re being conned. Simply describe the situation to our clever chatbot and let it guide you to safety. You can share with Scamio the exact thing you want to check: a screenshot, PDF, QR code or link. Scamio lets you know in seconds if it’s a scam. Use it anywhere via web browser, Facebook Messenger, or WhatsApp. Scamio is localized for use in the USA, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Romania, Australia and the UK.