Social Security’s Office of the Inspector General says any call that connects a person to someone claiming to be from Social Security or the inspector general’s office is a scam, “without exception, every time.” The warning, issued July 29, 2026, targets a specific trick: a caller posing as a store, bank or another agency “transfers” the victim to a fake Social Security agent. That second voice is the one who goes after the Social Security number and the savings.
The watchdog’s alert and a matching press release lay out the script step by step. The agency still lists the warning on its main scam page, so it stays current for anyone who answers the phone this fall.
The question for anyone who answers an unexpected call about a charge, a package or a frozen account is simple. If the conversation turns toward Social Security, the number is “suspended,” or a secret is requested, the call is the problem. The next step is to end it, not to follow instructions.
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How the transfer works
It starts with a call about a purchase or account activity the person never made. The caller may say he is from a retailer, a bank, another government agency or law enforcement, and that something fraudulent is going on.
When the person says the purchase is not theirs, the caller offers to connect them to Social Security or the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), the agency’s independent watchdog. The new voice then claims the person’s Social Security number is compromised, tied to identity theft or used in crimes.
The alert says the target may then be pushed to keep the call confidential, hand over a Social Security number or financial information, give access to a phone or computer, pay for a new Social Security number, or move money to “protect” it. The OIG describes one real case in which a consumer was sent a long document to sign, told not to discuss it and promised a new number. That person recognized the warning signs and contacted Social Security before any money was lost.
What real agencies never do
The OIG’s statement is blunt: “Legitimate companies and other agencies CANNOT transfer your phone call directly to SSA or OIG.” Caller ID is no proof either, because scammers can spoof government numbers, including local police lines, according to Social Security’s scam guidance.
The inspector general’s home page adds that neither Social Security nor the OIG will ask anyone to transfer money, meet in person to hand over cash, or pay in gift cards, cryptocurrency or gold bars. Neither will ask for secrecy. The scam page also lists a demand to “move your money” to a “protected” account and a threat to suspend a Social Security number among the common tactics.
Social Security also says it will never ask for sensitive or personal information through social media, email or text message, and it does not charge for forms that are normally free, such as a replacement Social Security card.
How big the problem is
The watchdog’s latest quarterly report to Congress, dated August 25, 2026, covers April through June. In its third-quarter report, 81% of complaints said the scammer pretended to be from Social Security or the OIG. The same share said the scammer asked for the victim’s Social Security number or other personal information.
The report lists the payment channels scammers demand: gift cards, gold bars and other precious metals, cryptocurrency, wire transfers and cash. It also flags a newer trend of scammers using the names of real OIG employees, with fake badges or credentials and fake social media profiles.
The report’s own advice is short: “Ignore unexpected outreach claiming to be from SSA or SSA OIG.”
What to do when the call comes
- Hang up right away. Do not press any numbers or stay on the line.
- Contact Social Security using a phone number looked up independently, never one given during the call.
- Call the bank or retailer directly about any charge that seems fraudulent.
- Change the login details for any account that may be exposed.
- Report the call to the inspector general at the Social Security scam reporting form. The agency’s report-the-scam page links to the same form.
Anyone who has already lost money can also report it to local police and to the FTC at 877-382-4357, and can start an identity theft report at identitytheft.gov, according to Social Security’s scam page.
The call that never ends well
A transferred call feels real because the first caller sounded like a bank or a store, and the second one sounds like the government. That hand-off is the trick. The inspector general’s rule removes the guesswork: a legitimate company cannot hand a customer to Social Security, so a connection that arrives that way is fraud.
The harder moment is the one after hanging up, when the phone rings again, or a text arrives with a case number. The answer stays the same. Anyone unsure whether a real problem exists can open a my Social Security account or call the number printed on a Social Security letter or on the back of a bank card.
Got a “transferred” call about a frozen number?
A fake Social Security agent only needs a few minutes on the line to talk someone into moving savings or giving up a Social Security number. Accounts left unlocked, with no credit freeze and no bank alerts, give the thief an easy second step.
Scam-Proof Your Accounts in a Weekend is a set of ten moves that lock the three ways scammers get into money, in about four hours. It includes how to lock your bank logins with two-step login, alerts and a verbal password, and how to freeze your credit at all three bureaus, free by federal law.
More Financial Reading
- 21 Ways to Stretch a $2,087 Social Security Check
- 15 Places to Find Your Share of the $4.25 Billion States Give Back
- 21 Ways Retirees Can Raise $1,000 Fast Without a Job
This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.
Warren Cohen is a finance writer based in Phoenix, Arizona, covering personal finance topics including credit, banking, and beginner investing. He earned his degree in business administration from Arizona State University and began his career working in consumer finance, where he gained direct experience with lending and credit systems. He now writes for personal finance websites and fintech platforms, focusing on clear, practical content that helps readers make informed financial decisions.
