Social Security Disability Fraud Alert

This is from a November 3, 2014 Social Security Administration Press Release:

Patrick P. O’Carroll, Jr., Inspector General for the Social Security Administration, is warning the public, and Social Security disability applicants and beneficiaries in particular, about a text phishing scheme that has recently surfaced. Disability law offices in the Greater St. Louis area and Michigan have reported several of their clients have recently received suspicious text messages, requesting them to call a telephone number for information about their Social Security disability benefit claims.

According to these reports, individuals posing as Government officials have sent texts to several Social Security disability applicants and beneficiaries in an attempt to elicit a response—possibly to obtain their personal and financial information.

The text reads: “Disability Alert: Please call 253-xxx-xxxx regarding your recent disability benefits application.”

Inspector General O’Carroll urges everyone to be aware that Social Security will never send you a text message about your application for Social Security disability benefits. Moreover, you should always take precautions when asked to provide personal information. Mr. O’Carroll stated, “You should never provide your Social Security number, bank account numbers, or other personal information unless you are extremely confident about the identity of the person asking for it. Social Security representatives may call to follow up on a benefit application—but they will not send text messages—and they generally will not ask for personal identifiers or financial information.”