HOW TO SPOT AN IMPOSTER SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT
By Marilenin Vasquez
Want to learn how to spot fake Social Security social media accounts? The tips below will help you protect yourself and your family.
How fraudsters create imposter accounts
Fraudsters create imposters on social media pages and accounts using Social Security-related images and vocabulary, making them appear as if they’re associated with or endorsed by us. They also create imposters on social media pages of Social Security and OIG officials, such as the Commissioner or the Inspector General.
Protect your personally identifiable information
We will never ask for sensitive information through social media as these channels are not secure. Sometimes, users are asked to enter their financial information, Social Security number (SSN), or other sensitive information. This is a red flag, and often an indication of a fraudulent account.
How to spot a fake social media account
Identifying an imposter account may seem difficult at first, but there are a few things you can look for right away. You will want to focus on the following:
- How many people follow the imposter page. In most cases, fake pages have a very low number of followers as compared to Social Security’s official page.
- Improper punctuation.
- Links to pages not on SSA.gov.
- Advertisements for forms or other Social Security documents for a price.
- Incorrect social media handles. To view the list of our official social media channels, we encourage you to visit ssa.gov/socialmedia.
Please report suspected Social Security imposter scams — and other Social Security fraud — to the OIG’s website at oig.ssa.gov/report. You can find more information about scams on our Protect Yourself from Scams webpage at www.ssa.gov/scam.
Please share this information with your friends, family, and colleagues to help spread awareness about impostors on social media accounts.
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