From The Intercept:
“We need to let you know you have been selected for $100 in rewards.”
It was a cheery automated message, not what I expected when I called the number for the Social Security Administration’s primary office in Manhattan. The message went on: “Simply press 1 now to be connected to a live agent and claim your gift today.”
I double-checked the number, which a Social Security employee had just given me at the agency’s local office in Harlem in late February. I needed to replace a lost card, which was a service only offered at certain locations, the agent told me. He slid me a flyer and circled the contact information for the office in the Financial District in Manhattan.
“You can call this number to try making an appointment,” the agent told me.
Still sitting in the lobby of the Harlem building, I dialed the number a couple more times, and each time reached a different grifter: I was eligible for another $100 gift card to Walmart, then help getting “free insurance.” I just had to hand over my name and address, to “confirm you’re eligible,” one scammer said. …
Still sitting in the lobby of the Harlem building, I dialed the number a couple more times, and each time reached a different grifter: I was eligible for another $100 gift card to Walmart, then help getting “free insurance.” I just had to hand over my name and address, to “confirm you’re eligible,” one scammer said. …
Reached for this story, Social Security employees at the Harlem office did not answer detailed questions about how this version of the flyer came into existence. “We were made aware” of the scam number on the flyer, one ticket agent said, “and that’s why we stopped giving those out. …
On closer inspection, the scam phone number was off by a single digit from the real direct line to the Manhattan Social Security office, and the phone numbers for other offices were legitimate….
Absolute disgrace. Management in that office should be held accountable
ReplyDeleteI've had the same issue at different times when calling both SSA and OPM before. The OPM one occurred when I was using my landline, and I actually had to unplug my phone from the wall to get the call to disconnect.
ReplyDeleteIt is probably a VOIP issue involving their phones. And, BTW, complaints on this issue go nowhere, as both agencies absolutely deny their toll free lines can even be hacked.
A really scary thought is, if these people can get away with doing, how can you even prove that the customer service person you are speaking to actually works for SSA or OPM? Might account for some of the direct deposit fraud that is happening.
Lots of jobs have unscrupulous actors, unfortunately. VA, IRS, SSA, DOJ, DOS, state offices, private businesses, etc. This is an unfortunate story. While the information does say the number was one digit off, there is a very very high likely hood it was not coincidence that it was one digit off AND the phone call went to a scam phone line. Hopefully this was investigated by the agency and handled appropriately.
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