Woman warned her Social Security Number would be ‘revoked' in email — one key detail exposed the scam

The Social Security number is an important piece of personal information that is essential for many things like filing taxes or securing loans. So, it's pretty understandable if you panic when somebody tells you that your Social Security number is at risk. Something similar happened to Joyce House, who received an email from someone claiming that her Social Security number was at risk.

House reached out to NBC 10 Responds to share her story and shed light on the things to look out for to steer clear of scams. She said that it began with an email that bore the Social Security Administration (SSA) seal along with a threatening message, which read, "We will suspend your Social Security number unless you contact us."

The email also claimed that her Social Security was involved in drug trafficking and other criminal activities. The email also said that a complaint had been filed against her due to $14 million in fraud linked to 25 bank accounts opened under her name, via NBC. "That panic that I felt because we do live in this world where people steal your identity," she said. 

The email also had a letter attached to it, which looked official, and instructed her to call a number to appeal the decision. When she called the number, a receptionist connected her to a man who asked for her case number and also asked if she was calling him from a public place. Sensing that something was fishy, she told the man that she was indeed in a public setting and would call back when she was alone. 

Later, she returned the call but felt uncomfortable and decided to hang up. Needless to say, she found out it was all a scam, thanks to one key detail- the sender's email address. It included “SSA U.S. GOV” and the email address “frfjamesroberts601@gmail.com," she told the publication. Realizing that she had been targeted, House wanted to warn others which is why she reached out to the publication. "I'm hoping that if they reached out to anybody else they'll not fall for this," she told NBC. "Scammers exploit fear and confusion to make money," she added.

According to Investopedia, most scammers will reach out to you either via phone calls or emails, the tone of these calls and emails is itself an indicator of the fact that something may be fishy. It is recommended that people stay vigilant and not encourage any of these calls. Moreover, you must be careful with your Social Security Number and make sure you store it securely. It's also a good idea to check the credit reports regularly to ensure that there has been no compromise of financial data. Note that, the Social Security Administration will never ask for your personal information, such as date of birth, bank account details, and the Social Security Number. 

It's best if you stay aware of the latest scams. If you ever suspect that you have been targeted, it's best to call the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) hotline (1-800-269-0271) or submit a fraud report on the  OIG's website using the online SSA Scam Reporting Form. Additionally, you can also report the scam on FTC's complaint website.