MUSCATINE, Iowa- A new scam has been brought to light in Muscatine, in which victims can expect threats and demands for money.
Police say the scam starts with someone claiming to be from the Social Security office.
They will tell you that your social security card was found near a duffel bag of cocaine and that unless you pay them, criminal charges will be pressed.
“The callers state, due to improper or illegal activity with a citizen’s Social Security number (SSN) or account, a citizen will be arrested or face other legal action if they fail to call a provided phone number to address the issue.”
SSA employees will contact those who have reason to be interacting with the SSA.
However, SSA employees will never threaten you for information,or tell you that you face arrest or other legal action if you fail to provide information.
In those cases, the call is fraudulent, and you should just hang up.
If you receive a suspicious call from someone claiming to be from SSA, you should report that information to the OIG at 1-800-269-0271 or online at https://oig.ssa.gov/report.
