Gain security with a bit of knowledge

It’s disconcerting but we’ve come this: a national day to thwart those who would separate us from our identities and bank accounts.

National Slam the Scam Day, so-designated by Social Security’s Office of the Inspector General as part of National Consumer Protection Week, this year happens on March 7 — a day to raise awareness of government imposter scams.

Scammers count on us being uninformed and it works. According to the Federal Trade Commission, reported losses for Social Security- and other government-related scams topped $500 million in 2022. Without the knowledge to recognize scammers or avoid scams, that price tag is projected to escalate by tens of millions of dollars each year.

With this in mind, the Social Security Administration offers several tips and guidelines.

Recognize scammers by the way they:

- Pretend to be from an agency or organization you know.

- Say there’s a problem or promise a prize.

- Pressure you to act immediately.

- Tell you to pay in a specific way.

And to avoid scams:

- Don’t give scammers money or personal information — ignore them.

- Remain calm. Talk to someone you trust.

- Hang up or ignore the message. Do not click on links or attachments.

- Protect your money. Criminals will insist that you pay in a hard-to-trace manner such as with a gift card, prepaid debit card, cryptocurrency, wire transfer, money transfer or by mailing cash.

- Protect your personal information. Be skeptical of a contact you didn’t initiate.

- Spread the word. Share your knowledge of Social Security-related scams. Post on social media using the hashtag #SlamtheScam to warn others.

And most of all, if you fall victim to a scam don’t hide it. You’re not alone and there’s no embarrassment in being tricked. In fact, the Office of the Inspector General has a special form for filing a scam report at https://secure.ssa.gov/ipff/home?utm_campaign=oig-scam-24&utm_content=report-a-scam-cta-feb2024&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery.

For help or questions about scams, reach out for information from sources you can trust. A starting point is with the Social Security Administration at www.ssa.gov/scam.