Social Security Combats Fraud
Social Security fights fraud at the national, regional, and local levels to protect our mission to serve the American public. To meet this challenge, we work closely with our Office of the Inspector General (OIG), which is responsible for investigating allegations of fraud related to our programs, operations, and employees. SSA's OIG has the authority to conduct criminal investigations, make arrests, and bring criminal and civil prosecutions. Our OIG works together with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of Social Security fraud. They also partner with U.S. attorneys within the Department of Justice, and other state and local prosecuting authorities, to prosecute federal crimes.
What Is Social Security Fraud?
Social Security fraud exists when a person intentionally gives false information to receive benefits and payments. This includes making false statements, misrepresenting information, or concealing important facts. In the context of our programs, information is “material” when it could influence our determination on entitlement or eligibility to benefits under the Social Security Act
Examples of Social Security fraud include:
- Bribing our employees.
- Impersonating our employees.
- Making false statements on claims.
- Buying or selling Social Security cards.
- Misusing benefits (by a representative payee).
- Working under someone else's Social Security number (SSN).
- Filing claims under another person's SSN.
- Concealing facts or events that affect eligibility for benefits.
- Failing to notify the agency of the death of a beneficiary and continuing to receive the deceased person's benefits.
- Identity theft.
Although fraudsters attack us directly in many ways, they also target you through several common fraud schemes. Whether it is to steal your identity, misuse your benefits while serving as your payee, or selling you services that we provide for free, we have the power to investigate and shut down these criminals if you report them to us. Take the time to read about some of the more common types of Social Security fraud that could impact you directly, and learn how to recognize, prevent, and report them.
How To Report Fraud
Do you suspect someone of committing fraud, waste, or abuse against Social Security? You can submit a report online at oig.ssa.gov or contact SSA's OIG fraud hotline at 1-800-269-0271.
Our OIG will carefully review your allegation and take appropriate action. However, they cannot provide information regarding the actions taken on any reported allegation. Federal regulations prohibit the disclosure of information contained in law enforcement records, even to the person making the allegation.
To learn more about reporting fraud, visit our OIG's Resources for Other Types of Fraud page. You will find information about misuse of SSNs, elder abuse, Direct Express accounts, fraud, and more. Also, watch their video "How to Report Social Security Fraud" for more details about the fraud referral process.
Report potential violations using:
- OIG's fraud reporting form.
- OIG's Fraud Hotline at 1-800-269-0271.
What is Identity Theft?
Identity theft happens when a person illegally uses your personal information to commit fraud. Whether they bought your information online or stole it from you, someone illegally using your SSN and assuming your identity can cause a lot of problems.
There are several things you should do to prevent identity theft:
- Do not routinely carry your SSN.
- Never say your SSN aloud in public.
- Beware of phishing scams (emails, internet links, and phone calls) trying to trick you into revealing personal information.
- Create a personal my Social Security account to help you keep track of your records and identify any suspicious activity.
- Consider adding these blocks to your account with us:
- The eServices block — This prevents anyone, including you, from seeing or changing your personal information online. Once we add the block, you or your representative will need to contact your local office to request its removal.
- The Direct Deposit Fraud Prevention block — This prevents anyone, including you, from enrolling in direct deposit or changing your address or direct deposit information through my Social Security or a financial institution (via auto-enrollment). Once we add the block, you or your representative will need to contact your local office to request its removal. You will need to do the same to make any future changes to direct deposit or contact information.
Our OIG provides 10 tips for Protecting Personal Information and details several actions to take if you suspect identity theft.
If someone uses your SSN to obtain credit, loans, telephone accounts, or other goods and services, contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC collects complaints about identity theft from those whose identities have been stolen and provides resources for those whose SSN may have been exposed in a data breach.
Get help for identity theft
- If someone has used your SSN to open a new account or make a purchase: Report it at IdentityTheft.gov and find out what to do next, including obtaining an FTC Identity Theft Report and a recovery plan.
- If someone hasn't misused your SSN, but it has been lost, stolen, shared, or exposed in a data breach: You don't need to file an FTC Identity Theft report. But there are steps you can take to help protect yourself from identity theft, including checking, freezing, and monitoring your credit. Go to IdentityTheft.gov/Info-Lost-or-Stolen to learn what to do.
Additional Resources:
Representative Payee Fraud
Does someone help you manage your benefits by receiving them on your behalf? You should know that the Representative Payee Fraud Prevention Act of 2015 prohibits anyone who receives benefits for you from taking (embezzling), stealing, or using your benefits for anything other than your needs.
Tell us right away if you believe your representative payee is misusing your benefits. We will investigate all allegations of misuse and gather facts and evidence to determine whether misuse has occurred. You will receive a letter from us telling you what we found. If misuse has occurred, we may help you find a new representative payee or pay you directly. We will also try to get your misused money back for you.
For more information, see our FAQs for Beneficiaries Who Have a Representative Payee.
Section 1140 of the Social Security Act
Section 1140 of the Social Security Act states that it is against the law for people and companies to mislead you by pretending to be associated with or endorsed by us. It also states that we, along with OIG, can impose penalties against people, organizations, or others that violate the law.
Examples of violations include:
- Companies offering our services for a fee, even though the same services are available directly from us free of charge. These services may include getting:
- A corrected Social Security card.
- A replacement Social Security card.
- A Social Security Statement.
- A Social Security number for a child.
- Direct marketers suggesting that we are in dire financial shape and that people risk losing their benefits unless they send a contribution or membership fee to the advertiser.
- Privately owned websites designed to deceive the public into providing personal information by using misleading domain names to appear as if they are our official website.
- Social media accounts using our related images and language to appear as if they are associated with, or endorsed by, us.
Inform OIG immediately if you receive a misleading or suspicious Social Security-related advertisement or communication. Complete the online Fraud Referral and share as many details as you can about the source, content, and physical or web address of the fraudulent advertisement. Try to capture as much information about the communication as you can in case an investigator contacts you for more information.
- For suspicious websites or social media accounts, take a screenshot of the page. Note the website address or social media link and how you came across it.
- For emails and text messages, save the entire message and any message links.
- For postal mail solicitations, keep the complete communication, including the outside envelope and all inserts.
- For telephone solicitations, note the caller ID number and any company name or call back number that the caller or recorded message provides.
This information will help OIG locate the source.