Attorney General Andy Beshear is reminding Kentucky residents that a federal government employee will never suspend your Social Security number or demand you wire money over the phone.
The alert comes after a Fayette County woman lost $30,000 due to a scam with a person who claimed to be an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Officer. Beshear adds the woman thought she was paying an outstanding debt to the IRS to avoid a jail sentence.
Beshear notes the scam, which usually includes a scammer asking for confirmation of your Social Security number, is reoccurring and has been reported nearly 90 times in 36 counties this year. While the Federal Trade Commission reports in the last year and a half around $19-million in losses have been reported, this is the first loss reported in Kentucky this year.
Tips on how to avoid these scams:
* Never trust a caller ID, as scammers use technology to “spoof” valid phone numbers.
* Always verify any suspicious call by hanging up and contacting the real Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213 or the real IRS at 1-800-829-1040.
* Report scams to the Office of the Attorney General at 888-432-9257 or via an online complaint form.
