This is the first week in the May focus on Senior Fraud, and this week is Government Imposter Scams. What are they? How do you tell a scam from reality? What can you do to protect yourself? Let’s take a deep dive into these types of scams and see if we can answer those questions.
What is a Government Imposter Scam? Quite simply, it is when a scammer contacts a victim pretending to be a government employee in order to extort money, gain personal information, or both. These types of scams occur either over a telephone call, text message, or email. No matter the method used, the purpose remains the same: to steal as much money as they can from an unsuspecting elderly person. These scams have become an increasingly sad fact of life and in 2023 alone criminals were able to steal over $179 Million from thousands of Americans age 60 and over. We all know that scammers are shameless opportunists, and they all know that people are more likely to answer when US Government shows up on the caller ID. There are most likely as many Government Imposter Scams as there are actual government agencies, even one where an imposter posed as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Inspector General! While there are too many of these schemes to name, there are a few very common ones that our older population need to be aware of and on the lookout for.
- IRS Imposter Scams
- Medicare Imposter Scams
- Social Security Administration Imposter Scams
In an IRS Imposter Scam, the scammer contacts their victim claiming to be an IRS agent. Scammers will try to convince someone that they owe money to the IRS and that if it isn’t paid, they will go to jail. Through fake phone calls, text messages, or emails, criminals use threats of arrest or prosecution along with intimidation to coerce people into paying “overdue” taxes immediately. Fraudulent emails or texts may look official and contain links or ask to download attachments. Those links give the scammers access to sensitive information. Fraudsters use spoofing techniques to mimic legitimate government phone numbers to trick their prey into answering the calls but here’s the thing: the IRS will NEVER call to demand payment or threaten any legal action. Someone who actually owes the IRS will always receive a bill in the mail and are given a chance to appeal. The IRS will not ask for payment in the form of gift cards, prepaid debit cards, wire transfers, or payment platforms such as CashApp. Knowing this information is key to protecting yourself and your information from an IRS imposter. If you or someone you know have been a victim of an IRS scam, please report it to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) or the FTC.
A Medicare Imposter Scam occurs when a criminal pretending to represent Medicare or related Healthcare agencies contacts a victim in an effort to steal personal information or commit billing fraud. Unfortunately, I have first-hand experience with this as I helped my grandmother navigate a scam a few years ago. Someone posing as a representative of Medicare will call offering to send free medical equipment, fake rebates, or try to pressure their victims into “updating” their Medicare coverage. These scammers will try to gain an elderly person’s trust in an attempt to trick them into giving out sensitive information. To protect yourself and your loved ones, treat your Medicare number just like your Social Security number and other personal information, don’t give anything out to anyone especially if it is an unsolicited call! If you or someone you know has been a victim of a Medicare scam, please report it to the FTC or the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Social Security Administration (SSA) Imposter Scams work pretty much the same as IRS and Medicare in the delivery of the scam. Someone calls, texts, or emails pretending to be an SSA official making demands and asking for sensitive information. Often times with this scam, the criminal will go so far as to use a real SSA worker’s name or email official looking documents to the victim in an attempt to gain trust. They may make promises and offers to increase benefits or move their money to a safer account. These scammers may threaten to suspend benefits, have the beneficiary arrested, or even freeze bank accounts unless the victim pays their fees or gives out personal information. The scammers may ask for any personal information including SSN (which they should already have if they are legitimately calling from SSA) or bank account details or debit/credit card numbers. As with other scams, they may ask for payment in the form of gift cards, prepaid debit cards, or crypto. Please know that the real Social Security Administration will not call to request personal information or demand immediate payments. The SSA won’t offer promises of increased benefits or “safer” accounts, and they won’t threaten to stop benefits unless the information they seek is given. If you or someone you know have been a victim of this type of scam, please report it to the SSA directly.
As we strive to provide the best service we can to our customers, let us be especially mindful of the elderly. Please share this information with anyone who might need to hear it.
