# Social Security scams costing Americans



## Robert59 (Jan 29, 2020)

*U.S. cracking down on Social Security fraud*
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/us-cracking-down-on-robocalls-scamming-americans-out-of-their-money/#x


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## fmdog44 (Jan 30, 2020)

Sadly there was a piece on the scam on the CBS evening news today where the couple withdrew what they said was their life savings $150,000 and sent it to the bad guys. It is incredible that people still have not caught win of this scam and others like it.


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## Don M. (Jan 30, 2020)

These Scam calls seem to be increasing.  We get a half dozen a day, anymore....some even showing our own phone number on the caller ID.  The Only way to avoid any such problems is to Not answer the phone when a suspicious number appears.  If it's a legitimate call, the person calling can leave a message. and then we can option to either answer while they are leaving a message, or call them back.  So long as people are gullible enough to fall for these scams, they will continue.


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## JustBonee (Jan 30, 2020)

fmdog44 said:


> Sadly there was a piece on the scam on the CBS evening news today where the couple withdrew what they said was their life savings $150,000 and sent it to the bad guys. It is incredible that people still have not caught win of this scam and others like it.



What are they thinking ...    when someone calls and tells you to withdraw all your life savings  and send it to an overseas account  ...  and be sure not to tell anyone about it ..   Don't red flags go off??   
I don't understand it.

And even more ridiculous  ... the FBI asking for gift cards!


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## Pepper (Jan 30, 2020)

Some people are so stupid I'm amazed they managed to make it through life, work, raise kids, etc.


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## StarSong (Jan 30, 2020)

Pepper said:


> Some people are so stupid I'm amazed they managed to make it through life, work, raise kids, etc.



With advanced age many lose some ability to discern scams.  
What sounds ludicrous to a 60 year old can seem quite plausible to that same person at 85.  Doesn't mean they were stupid in younger years.


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## Pepper (Jan 30, 2020)

ok, @StarSong, that is a good excuse.


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## JustBonee (Jan 30, 2020)

StarSong said:


> With advanced age many lose some ability to discern scams.
> What sounds ludicrous to a 60 year old can seem quite plausible to that same person at 85.  Doesn't mean they were stupid in younger years.



I heard of a local woman some years back (in her 80's),    who was loosing her ability to understand the function of money (cash)  ..  she started flushing money down the toilet when no one was around.  It took a while for anyone to catch on..


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## Kaila (Jan 30, 2020)

At one time, if a message left on your machine, seemed like a wrong number,
and that the message was intended for someone else, instead of yourself, 
and that it might be an important message for them,

then, it did seem decent and considerate, to call the phone number given by the caller, in order to tell the caller they had not reached the intended person with their message.

But oh whoa, not nowadays!  
Even though there still are messages left on wrong numbers, I wouldn't call any back, as most are likely scams, causing lots of trouble and expenses!


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## OneEyedDiva (Jan 31, 2020)

Bonnie said:


> What are they thinking ...    when someone calls and tells you to withdraw all your life savings  and send it to an overseas account  ...  and be sure not to tell anyone about it ..   Don't red flags go off??
> I don't understand it.
> 
> And even more ridiculous  ... the FBI asking for gift cards!


I was just saying the same thing to a friend at the senior center yesterday. Who in their right mind would think a government agency wants payment via gift cards?!  I know young people can be clueless sometimes but I read about a girl who lost some of her college money because she gave scammers money they requested via an iTunes gift card.  Seriously! And of course how insanely gullible not to notice the other red flags you mentioned.


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## Rasputin (Feb 7, 2020)

I kept getting calls from numbers I didn't recognize so I didn't answer. They were always similar, but slightly different. It was averaging four times per day so I finally got fed up and answered, knowing it was going to be a scam.  It was a so called Medicare benefit advocate. I asked "What does this concern?" The person replied "We're sorry that you are suffering discomfort". I told them I wasn't suffering any discomfort.

They came back with the statement that my doctor had ordered a back brace for me. Now, I did have back surgery in late September, but I'm completely healed and my specialist released me. I asked who the Doctor was that ordered the brace. They said they couldn't tell me due to Hippa laws. I said Hippa laws are to protect my medical records, not to keep my Doctor's information from me. The person kept going on about Hippa stuff but it was obvious she was lying. I was angry and honestly don't remember what else I said, other than "stop calling me".

This is a known scam and what happens is, if you agree to accept their offer, you'll be shipped all sorts of medical stuff and you'll end up getting charged by Medicare for it. How though, would they know that I might need a back brace?


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## Nautilus (Feb 7, 2020)

Yesterday, an "East Indian gentleman" called to tell me that there was a problem with my social security account and that if I didn't send the money required, my social security number would be cancelled.  Try to imagine my reply.  Think the worst and you'll be half right.


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## exwisehe (Feb 7, 2020)

Many times, I say to the caller, even if its not a scammer "I have a hearing loss, so you'll have to repeat slowly, talk loudly, and speak very clearly."

That's not a lie, so usually scammers (many of them seem to have accents) hang up.  If its a legit call, they apologize and start over.  This has worked well for me.

A couple of months ago, one scammer threatened to have me found by the police and taken to jail.  I said "good luck of finding me - I am on a trip to see my wife, whose out of town in the hospital." (which was true)


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## retiredtraveler (Feb 8, 2020)

> _"..... I know young people can be clueless sometimes but I read about a girl who lost some of her college money because she gave scammers money they requested via an iTunes gift card.  Seriously! ....._".
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Nautilus (Feb 8, 2020)

All of these stories pale in comparison to the people who give money to Benny Hinn, Jim Bakker and the rest of the "salvation sellers."  The reallly unbelieveable aspect is that those stupid "sheep" are shorn so easily from money they somehow managed to acquire in the first place.  Tragically, these decision-makers are also registered to vote...which explains a lot.


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## Gaer (Feb 17, 2020)

I just found out a friend of mine had just been "catfished".  She fell so deeply in love with a photo of a man on a dating site.  They talked on the phone and he sweet-talked her into sending him money to Europe so he could leave and  be with her!  He told her he finally got his money back and if she gives him her bank acct. info he will pay her back and wire the money to her account right away! She did!  She called the bank to see if the money had been returned yet and found ALL her accounts had been cleaned out and sent to an account in Nigeria!   I can't believe anyone could actually do this!


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## mathjak107 (Feb 17, 2020)

What’s scary is if I ever wanted a cougar today she would be like 90 ha ha

it should be  pretty easy though to find one since I am a Nigerian prince .


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## gennie (Feb 17, 2020)

It must be working or the people doing it would not continue.  Elders today were raised to believe that most polite well-spoken people were honest and could be trusted and believed.  It was rude to be impolite or to not be trusting of strangers.  

By elders I mean those in my own age group, i.e. 80 +


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## hollydolly (Feb 17, 2020)

Gaer said:


> I just found out a friend of mine had just been "catfished".  She fell so deeply in love with a photo of a man on a dating site.  They talked on the phone and he sweet-talked her into sending him money to Europe so he could leave and  be with her!  He told her he finally got his money back and if she gives him her bank acct. info he will pay her back and wire the money to her account right away! She did!  She called the bank to see if the money had been returned yet and found ALL her accounts had been cleaned out and sent to an account in Nigeria!   I can't believe anyone could actually do this!


I find it difficult to believe anyone is still falling for that Nigerian scam, it's got to be the oldest one since the dawn of the internet...


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## mathjak107 (Feb 17, 2020)

There are some very creative scams out there ...some are so logical and good that it can be hard not to get caught up ....there is one that involves testing consumer products you buy .you get to keep the goods if you comply with the time line .

they ask you to buy a bunch of products and review them within 10 days ....they send you a check for 2k ....so once you charge everything on your credit card  because the check has to clear a foreign bank ,they ask you to review the products ,test them , and send them the change back and you get to keep all the products .

well by the time you find out the foreign check is no good you charged 1500 in goods and sent them 500 dollars back of your money


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## Butterfly (Feb 17, 2020)

hollydolly said:


> I find it difficult to believe anyone is still falling for that Nigerian scam, it's got to be the oldest one since the dawn of the internet...



And I can't believe anyone would be dumb enough to fall for it and actually give a stranger her bank account information.


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## Pepper (Feb 17, 2020)

mathjak107 said:


> There are some very creative scams out there ...some are so logical and good .......
> well by the time you find out the *foreign check* is no good you charged 1500 in goods and sent them 500 dollars back of your money


Foreign check?  'Nuff said!  Except for........if anyone asks for money upfront, fuhgeddabout it!


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## mathjak107 (Feb 18, 2020)

This is one of the best scams I’ve heard about.
You arrive at your hotel and check in at the front desk. Typically when checking in, you give the front desk your credit card (for any charges to your room).

You go to your room and settle in. All is good.
The hotel receives a call and the caller asks for (as an example) room 620 - which happens to be your room.
The phone rings in your room. You answer and the person on the other end says the following: 'This is the front desk. When checking in, we came across a problem with your charge card information. Please re-read me your credit card number and verify the last 3 digits numbers at the reverse side of your charge card.'
Not thinking anything wrong, since the call seems to come from the front desk you oblige.
But actually, it is a scam by someone calling from outside the hotel.
They have asked for a random room number, then ask you for your credit card and address information.
  They sound so professional, that you think you are talking to the front desk.


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## Lakeland living (Feb 18, 2020)

I was getting some of those, some are smooth...some are really stupid. BUT you don't need to deal with these, cell phones and home phones now come with a lot of help. Call blocking of private/unlisted callers, your phone does not ring. However they can leave a message. Common sense also has a lot to do with it.


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## StarSong (Feb 18, 2020)

mathjak107 said:


> This is one of the best scams I’ve heard about.
> You arrive at your hotel and check in at the front desk. Typically when checking in, you give the front desk your credit card (for any charges to your room).
> 
> You go to your room and settle in. All is good.
> ...


Wow!  Thanks for the head's up on this, @mathjak107.  I'll tell my hubby & friends to beware.


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## mathjak107 (Feb 18, 2020)

StarSong said:


> Wow!  Thanks for the head's up on this, @mathjak107.  I'll tell my hubby & friends to beware.


that is a scam many will fall victim to because you don't suspect it is not the front desk calling.


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## StarSong (Feb 18, 2020)

Gaer said:


> I just found out a friend of mine had just been "catfished".  She fell so deeply in love with a photo of a man on a dating site.  They talked on the phone and he sweet-talked her into sending him money to Europe so he could leave and  be with her!  He told her he finally got his money back and if she gives him her bank acct. info he will pay her back and wire the money to her account right away! She did!  She called the bank to see if the money had been returned yet and found ALL her accounts had been cleaned out and sent to an account in Nigeria!   I can't believe anyone could actually do this!


I'm so sorry for your friend, @Gaer.  She has to be devastated to have been so heartlessly scammed.

When it comes to being scammed, never say it can never happen to you. That arrogance is the first step toward letting your guard down and becoming a victim.

These creeps are professionals who spend years honing their skills. They're experts at reading what will work, whether it's tugging on people's heartstrings (fake charities), frightening them (grandson is in jail), appealing to their greed (lottery or sweepstakes winner), offering friendships or romances to the lonely (no matter how unlikely), etc.

Scamming Americans, particularly older Americans, out of their money is big business in Nigeria, Jamaica and other countries.


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## Happyflowerlady (Feb 18, 2020)

One of the cutest things I have seen to deal with these scam callers is an automated voice recording from someone named “Lenny” There are a series of phrases that he repeats at random, and it totally baffles the scam caller.  

If you look on YouTube for “scam phone calls, Lenny”, there is a whole list of these calls. This is just a short one to give you an idea of how it works.


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## Kaila (Feb 18, 2020)

This article is on MSN News, today, and is fascinating and informative and educational,
for any/all of us,

on the many ways that current scammers make their scams LOOK and seem, very  legitimate and beneficial,
so that some people, could be tricked by them. Even those who research, to check on them.

The scammers begin by assuming an identity of a true lawyer, whose credentials are online....

The article is easy reading and valuable, to look at, imo.

Title of the article could be googled,  I assume, or look for it in your own method.
On MSN News.  Feb. 18, 2020:

*Fake lawyer sends scam inheritance letter to real lawyer *

author:      David Lazarus


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## StarSong (Feb 19, 2020)

Kaila said:


> This article is on MSN News, today, and is fascinating and informative and educational,
> for any/all of us,
> 
> on the many ways that current scammers make their scams LOOK and seem, very  legitimate and beneficial,
> ...


This is a link to the article:
https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2020-02-18/column-inheritance-scam


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