With the number of people obtaining social security, many unscrupulous companies are becoming fraudsters. Most scammers use emails, texts, letters and phone calls to scam people. What they mostly do is that they impersonate the social security administration to get and misuse social security numbers and other personal information of various clients. One good example is centrelink fraud.
To be safe, there are things you need to put into consideration, but mostly, always stay watchful so that in case someone calls you asking for your personal information and your social security number, you will hang up as fast as possible. In case the person keeps calling, you could block the number. However, blocking this number doesn’t guarantee your safety, but it’s a step to safety. You should also check your credit card information to keep tabs on your account.
Ways to protect yourself from social security fraud
1. Think before you click
Most hackers send links to various phone numbers, and when you click on them, your phone gets hacked, and all your information gets known. When you get a link from an unknown number, don’t be too fast to click on it to be safe. You could research the link first before you click on it. Another thing to do is to make sure you use a strong password and don’t use the same password on multiple accounts because this makes it easier for hackers to log in into your accounts.
2. Update your phone and computer
To be safe, always make sure you download the most recent software, web browser and operating system. Your phone might inform you of various updates but make sure the software you are being asked to download is legit because some software is not safe, and you might also end up getting hacked when you download the unsafe software.
3. Get back your online privacy
One of the easiest ways to protect yourself from scammers is by making sure your online information is private. Make sure you do away with all your data and search engines. In this way, the scammers won’t be able to monitor what you do daily. Brokers can use platforms such as Spokeo to get their information.
4. Hang up
Very many hackers use social security telephones to hack you. The moment you get a phone call from someone asking for your social security credentials, hang up as fast as possible so that you don’t get tempted to give them your information. Some hackers might tell you that your account has been frozen so that they can easily get information out of you. You should always know that no social security company will ask for your details because they already have them.
Conclusion
Always be careful every time you get your social security number because people are always ready to use this information to steal money from you. It’s better to be safe than to lose all your money and not reclaim it.
