Celebrating ‘Slam the Scam Day’: What would you do if a Social Security Administration impostor called you up?

March 7 is Slam the Scam Day, an event designed by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Office of the Inspector General to raise awareness of government imposter scams plaguing the United States.

According to the SSA, social security scams have doubled over the past year, enabling fraudsters to siphon millions from taxpayers.

Bitdefender is here to help you celebrate Slam the Scam Day with a few reminders to help you avoid becoming another fraud statistic.

Know the red flags

Awareness is key to stopping fraudsters in their tracks, so keep in mind these four warning signs that show you might be in contact with a scammer:

1.     You receive an unexpected call from a government official or the SSA.

2.     You’re being alerted about some unexpected issues with your benefits or that your Social Security number is suspended.

3.     The caller says you can pay to increase your benefits.

4.     The caller uses pressure tactics, intimidation or threats.

5.     You are required to make payments and provide additional personal information. Most common payment methods include wire transfer, gift cards, cryptocurrency, money transfer and mail cash.

Act to protect your identity and finances

Now that you know the most common signs, it’s time to brush up on the best practices to protect yourself and your family:

1.    Know that the government does not call citizens out of the blue and does not suspend citizens' SSNs. A legitimate SSA official will never threaten you or ask for sensitive information or money.

2.    If you ever receive a call, text or email fitting any of the above scenarios, hang up and ignore or delete the message.

3.    Never hand out your SSN or financial information to individuals who contact you online or over the phone.

4.    Always investigate any changes in your benefits by contacting the Social Security Administration through official channels only.

5.    Always report scams to the police and the appropriate agency

6.    Spread your know-how to friends and family to help keep them safe. Be especially wary of your vulnerable family members, older parents, and grandparents, who make very lucrative targets due to their trusting nature.

Slamming scams and outsmarting scammers with Bitdefender Scamio.

Caution and vigilance and using the right tools can improve your security and help you stay safe against scams of all kinds.

Bitdefender Scamio is our free AI-powered scam detector specifically designed to help you immediately distinguish between genuine and fake messages, emails or offers.

Have a chat, upload or share a screenshot with Scamio to know if someone is actually trying to scam you.