Beware of robocalls from Social Security

It may sound like the real deal, but the Federal Trade Commission and the Social Security Administration are warning people to beware of fake calls that claim to come from Social Security.

According to the FTC, the caller usually says your Social Security number has been suspended because of suspicious activity, or because it’s been involved in a crime. Sometimes, the scammer wants you to confirm your SSN to reactivate it. Sometimes, he says your bank account is about to be seized — but if you go put your money on gift cards and then give him the codes, the SSA can help keep it safe. You never want to do that, because then your money is just gone. To report this scam, go to ftc.gov/complaint. But if you already gave one of these callers your SSN and you’re worried about identity theft, visit IdentityTheft.gov/ssa.