Senator Collins believes that Social Security isn’t doing enough to combat the current wave of fraud involving telephone callers pretending to be Social Security employees. What, exactly, does she think they should be doing that they aren’t?
Maybe pass laws requiring the FCC gather and publish data on what phone numbers are sending out thousands, if not tens of thousands, of phone calls from the same number. Spoofing numbers is to the recipient, but my understanding is that on the phone company's end, they are aware of the source since billing requires that.
Then have the FTC actually enforce the do not call list, not only against the caller as that clearly isn't working, but against the phone companies who assist the callers.
I'm sure there are tons of issues with this, but frankly the current situation is a fundamental threat to communication. I have not answered my phone for a number outside my contacts in over two years. Despite being on the do not call list, I get dozens of threatening calls per month, all of which either are blatantly automated, or pre-recorded by an actual human being, but still sent out on an automated basis (I base this on the same language identical in context, cadence, and tone being recorded despite weeks passing between the calls from a particular source).
I seem to be getting a call almost daily from those pretending to be Social Security, saying my "SSN has been suspended". Imagine how many people fall for it.
I think something should be done about it ASAP. I think the federal government should address the nation regarding these calls and educate everyone in a television broadcast.
I like the idea of a television broadcast. However, the Social Security Administration is doing their part. They admitted that their call volume has increased five times because of these calls. People have to be reminded that the Social Security Administration NEVER calls and asks for your social security number. The numbers always change. It will take a good cyber sleuth to catch these fraudsters. If we had a Consumer Protection Agency that protected consumers, they could get the word out.
Maybe pass laws requiring the FCC gather and publish data on what phone numbers are sending out thousands, if not tens of thousands, of phone calls from the same number. Spoofing numbers is to the recipient, but my understanding is that on the phone company's end, they are aware of the source since billing requires that.
ReplyDeleteThen have the FTC actually enforce the do not call list, not only against the caller as that clearly isn't working, but against the phone companies who assist the callers.
I'm sure there are tons of issues with this, but frankly the current situation is a fundamental threat to communication. I have not answered my phone for a number outside my contacts in over two years. Despite being on the do not call list, I get dozens of threatening calls per month, all of which either are blatantly automated, or pre-recorded by an actual human being, but still sent out on an automated basis (I base this on the same language identical in context, cadence, and tone being recorded despite weeks passing between the calls from a particular source).
I seem to be getting a call almost daily from those pretending to be Social Security, saying my "SSN has been suspended". Imagine how many people fall for it.
ReplyDeleteI think something should be done about it ASAP. I think the federal government should address the nation regarding these calls and educate everyone in a television broadcast.
SSA cant do a thing. What this shows is how little Congress knows about Social Security or how these phone scams work.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of a television broadcast. However, the Social Security Administration is doing their part. They admitted that their call volume has increased five times because of these calls. People have to be reminded that the Social Security Administration NEVER calls and asks for your social security number.
ReplyDeleteThe numbers always change. It will take a good cyber sleuth to catch these fraudsters.
If we had a Consumer Protection Agency that protected consumers, they could get the word out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8N96ORODZm8, a PSA on Social Security impersonation scams, has been running on TV nationwide since April 2019.
ReplyDelete