Social Security "suspended number" scam

A caller (often a robocall, sometimes live) claims to be from the Social Security Administration's Office of the Inspector General. They tell you that your SSN has been "suspended" because of suspicious activity — usually fraud or money laundering tied to a crime in Texas or New Mexico — and that to reinstate it you need to pay a fee or "verify your identity" by sending money or sharing personal info.

The premise is fiction. SSA does not "suspend" SSNs. Your Social Security number is permanent and cannot be locked or reactivated by paying anything.

This is one of the highest-volume robocall scams in the US, generating millions of complaints per year.

"This is the Social Security Administration. Your Social Security number has been suspended due to suspicious activity. To resolve this matter immediately, press 1 to speak with an officer."

After pressing 1:

"Sir, our records show your SSN was used in 14 transactions in Texas, including drug trafficking and money laundering. To clear your name we need you to withdraw $5,000 in cash and place it on Apple gift cards for safekeeping with our federal escrow."

• Caller claims SSN is "suspended" — not a real concept.
• Threat of arrest, deportation, or asset seizure.
• Payment demanded in gift cards, wire, prepaid debit, or crypto.
• Caller asks for SSN verification (and you confirm or deny digits).
• Caller ID spoofs SSA's main number.
• They refuse to give a callback number or insist you stay on the line.
• They direct you to convert cash to gift cards "for safekeeping."

1. Hang up. SSA does not call about suspended numbers.
2. Call SSA directly at 1-800-772-1213 to verify any concern about your account.
3. Caller ID can be spoofed. Don't trust the displayed name.
4. SSA never threatens arrest for SSN issues. They communicate by mail and never demand gift cards.
5. Check your SSA account at ssa.gov/myaccount to see if there's any actual issue.

• Contact gift-card issuers and your bank immediately.
• Report to the SSA Office of the Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov.
• File with the FTC, IC3, and IdentityTheft.gov.
• Place credit freezes at all three bureaus.
• Get an IRS Identity Protection PIN.
• Monitor your accounts and credit report for 90+ days.

• Do not confirm or deny digits of your SSN to an unverified caller.
• Do not convert cash to gift cards for any "federal escrow." No such thing exists.
• Do not call back the number the caller provided.
• Do not assume the caller's possession of your name and address is evidence of legitimacy.

• FTC: reportfraud.ftc.gov — the broadest US fraud intake; reports flow to thousands of law-enforcement agencies.
• FBI IC3: ic3.gov — the right destination when the scam is internet-enabled (phishing, BEC, romance, crypto).
• CFPB: consumerfinance.gov/complaint — for complaints about banks, money transmitters, payment apps, credit cards, debt collection.
• IdentityTheft.gov — if any identity information (SSN, driver's license, account credentials) was shared.
• Your bank or payment platform. Call the number on the back of your card or use the app's in-product help. Time matters — wires can sometimes be recalled within hours; ACH and Zelle are harder but worth trying.