Florida residents are the #1 targets for a serious organized crime; identity theft critically affects nearly 15 million people each year in the U.S. alone. Scammers and phishers are dishonest but they are not shy! They will call, email, or text you—often sounding very professional—and will construct creative ways to obtain your personal information. Between dumpster diving and stealing mail, one of the ways these cowardly criminals will assume the identity of their victims is by misleading the victim to believe they are somebody else, often over the phone. They are fakes, making a living off YOUR livelihood.

While their targets range from children to our elderly, our only weapon against these milksops is our good judgment. If you are applying for any form of benefits make sure to protect yourself from Social Security Disability Scams. If you have any questions, call your local social security office or a social security lawyer in Tallahassee.

DO NOT GIVE YOUR MONEY TO A STRANGER!

As Tallahassee disability attorneys, this particular kind of threat upsets us because it is the people we strive so hard to help that are so often affected by these dishonest masquerades and fraudulent claims. Hard-workers and those who unfortunately find it too difficult to find enough support anymore are taken advantage of. It pains me to see how insensitive a human can be to fellow person. In an effort to look out for those we represent—we provide you with 3 easy-to-live by tips and precautions to fend off these criminals out to steal your money and your identity:

  1. You DO NOT have to give any personal information to anyone over the phone!

If the person asking for your personal information—such as Social Security number or banking information—is from an honest source, then you should never feel as though you are being pressured or will face serious consequences if you fail to give out your own personal information.  Call your local field office or a Tallahassee social security lawyer if you have questions.

  1. You should NEVER give your personal information via E-mail or through text!

It is highly unlikely that anyone official will seek to obtain such important information via E-mail or especially text. If you do not absolutely recognize the source of any E-mail or text requesting your personal information delete that message!

  1. While you can have an appointed representative payee handle your monthly benefits, those who do not should ALWAYS regularly check your monthly statements and keep track of ALL review statements in a folder, or old box.  Lastly, find a good, comfortable wallet. An unorganized wallet may be hard to sit on at times, but any organized wallet containing your I.D.(s) and credit card(s) SHOULD snugly fit inside any pants’ pockets or purse. Always know where your wallet or purse is!

If you plan on having or being an appointed payee representative – someone who is found to be responsible and trustworthy by the Social Security Administration to manage your received benefits; it is so important that the payee is more than familiar with the beneficiary’s conditions and limitations.

If you ever have any serious concerns regarding these matters and can’t get an answer from Social Security, call to get feedback from one of our Tallahassee social security attorneys.

By obtaining YOUR personal information such as birthdays, banking information, and—most importantly—your Social Security number, these scammers will make purchases using your credit card numbers and expect you to pay for it. My team and I are prepared to answer any & all of your questions during your (or a loved one’s) battle for benefits.