The Inspector General for the Social Security Administration (SSA), Gail S. Ennis, is again warning the
public about widespread Social Security-related telephone scams that may use sophisticated tactics to
deceive them into providing sensitive information or money.
The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has recently received reports of telephone scammers using
real SSA and OIG officials’ names—many of which are publicly available on our websites or through an
online search. Other common tactics to lend legitimacy to scams are citing “badge numbers” of law
enforcement officers, sending email attachments containing personal information about an
“investigation,” or texting links to click on and “learn more” about a Social Security-related problem.