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Telemarketer continues to call my 84-year-old mother saying she will lose benefits because claims have been made against her.


If she will provide her social security number they will stop the fraud. I have her social security card but she has her Medicare card with social security number.


She's not herself today, having lost HVAC a couple of days ago and stressed from no heat etc. I'm afraid she may have given them her social security number today.


Is there anything I can do? I'm so concerned about stolen identity, social security fraud and more.

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Get rid of the old Medicare card that has the SSN and give her the new version that doesn't have the SSN. If she doesn't have it, have her call Social Security and ask for a replacement.
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MJ1929 Dec 2020
You can also get one online.
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As said, the new Medicare cards do not have the SS# anymore. Its now an ID#.

TG we seem to be getting away from the SS# being used as an acct number. I just signed a form at a Dentists office asking me for a SS#. I did not fill that info in. If you can find an old SS card it says on the back to be for Government use only.

After Dad died I drummed into my Mom not to do anything over the phone. Tell them sorry my daughter handles my finances and hang up. I was lucky she did it.
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Frances73 Dec 2020
My grandmother delighted in telling callers to call her son with such requests after grandpa died.
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She should have received a new social security card a while back without her social security number on it. If for some reason she hasn't, please request one from the social security office.

I hope mom's heat issue has been resolved, as no one her age should be living without heat. Does she live by herself? Sounds like if she's that vulnerable, she shouldn't be on her own any more. Might be time to be looking into some better living arrangements for mom,(ie. assisted living facility).

In the meantime you can either change her phone number, or have it disconnected, and just get her a simple cell phone to use. Best wishes.
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I sometimes answer them and lead them on for entertainment, I give them nonsensical answers- I've been cursed out more than a few times ....during the election I asked one who they voted for- ma'am I voted for the one that won. Who won ? - he then hung up on me. My dad has been very ill and I spend a lot of time at their house - it's almost a game for me now- they are on do not call but daily the call come in - lots of them - I tell them its illegal and take me off the list nothing works really but hanging up. I go into their account and regular block numbers but to no avail. My mom has called me in a panic that social security is calling her, a few years ago my dad was upset that the FBI had called him because his car was used to run drugs to Mexico - it's criminal really that this is allowed.
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jacobsonbob Dec 2020
Cascai, I loved reading what you said about "leading them on for entertainment". My favorite one is "sure, I'd happy to buy it, my credit card number is 435..<CLICK>" [when I hang up after giving a few digits].

I had a cousin who was being pestered by a salesman for aluminum siding, time and time again, so finally he took him up on his offer to come over and give an estimate. After the salesman was there a while, he asked "Now, where is it that you work?" and then my cousin (who was actually on disability) just answered "Oh, I don't work" so the salesman packed up quickly and left, and never bothered him again!

Then there are those who pester you because they want you to take out a loan from them, and want you to call them to tell them "if you need a loan". So some years ago when I had time to kill while waiting in an airport, I went to the pay phone to call their 800 number, and tell them that I'm simply answering their request to tell them if I need a loan, and my answer is that I DON'T need a loan. At another time I led one of them on with a gullible-sounding "wow, do you mean I can get a loan and pay nothing on it for 6 months [or whatever]?" and keep them on a few minutes...only to tell them I don't really need a loan. When asked why I called them, I either tell them they called me first, and it would be "impolite" not to call them back, or I say I simply had time to kill, and thought it would funny to waste theirs, too!

I've never received an IRS of SS scammer call, but I'm looking forward to it!
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These telemarketers should be smacked with a dead fish! I HATE the endless loop of calls we get on the landline and dang it, now I'm getting them on my cell phone, which I use only for communication with my kiddoes.

I was at my mom's one day when she got one--her car warranty had expired (!) and this forceful guy was just wringing her dry, she was crying over it, thinking her 20 yo car was not protected. Somehow he'd made her think she was going to get arrested!

I took the phone, chewed him out, royally and told him to remove her number from the list---but we all know that's pointless.

I will sometimes take a call and lead the person on--last week when one guy thought he had gotten some serious info from me (all lies) he finally said "Now, we just need your social security number, dear" And I answered "5". He waits, and waits and says, "no, there's a few more numbers" and I said ". No, it's 5". He blew up at me for wasting 20 minutes of his day. laughed and said "Dude, YOU called ME".

DH and I can easily avoid these calls, but mother cannot. Finally we told her to quit answering her phone unless it was a number she absolutely recognized. That helped, but I don't know how much money she'd given away in the past.

If your LO can read the incoming number, one tipoff is that they usually use ENTIRE CITIES as the place of origin. I will see the incoming call and yell to DH--'hey, Portland Oregon is calling us!!"
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jacobsonbob Dec 2020
Midkid58, you did a great job with that guy with your SS# of "5"! I think if I get such a call, I'll give a number including a couple letters and punctuation, and tell the caller this makes it more "secure"!
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and to anyone else reading these,,,,,,they are called spoofing when they use someone else's number but calling from somewhere else.  so most times it is pointless to call them back on the number shown because it won't be who called you.  yeah reporting to FCC is a joke unless you want to "pay" for a "formal" complaint and then you will still wait for months.  I know.....I worked for them..........so it is a pain in the butt.  We quit answering the phone unless we absolutely know who it is.  good luck to all on these type of calls.
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So many of the numbers showing on my Caller ID are local people or companies that most likely would have NO reason to call me so I know that the call is false. I rarely pick up the phone until AFTER the answering machine-that way I know who is calling before I talk to them. A family friend allows the answering machine to answer ALL her phone calls. And then, if the person calling is someone that she wants to talk to, she will call them back

Sometimes, if I pick up the phone before the answering machine does, then (like Cascai), I will have fun with these robocallers---
Anyone remember Carol Burnett's character who would yell "GGEEOORRGGEE" in a grating voice and dress in the most mismatched bathrode or dress. Poor Harvey Korman usually played her husband.
When someone calls I talk in that grating voice and complain about all sorts of things about my (fake) husband and yell for my husband to talk to this person. Or I repeat what the caller says as if I don't understand what they are talking about. Or I act as if the person calling is a good friend and gossip with the caller about nonsensical or untrue topics.

While Mom was alive and living with me, she would sit in the background trying not to laugh during my role-playing on the phone.

Unfortunately these types of calls are now a part of our life and we have to be smarter than they are. ☏
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disgustedtoo Dec 2020
"So many of the numbers showing on my Caller ID are local people or companies..."
The name of this game is spoofing. More often than not, the number that shows up in Caller ID isn't even where these jerks are calling from. They can use numbers that might be similar to your own show up on your phone, hoping that you think it might be someone you know. Those of us who know this goes on generally aren't fooled, but many older people don't know and get scammed.

I've read this is what they do, and can attest to this. When I moved, I didn't change my number (crossed state lines, cell phone only.) At least 98% (could be more) of the unwanted calls come from the state I used to live in, many with the same area code and exchange (1st 6 digits.) A few calls are "toll free" numbers and others come from states all over the map (some even with bizarre, non-phone numbers!) I don't answer any calls that are either 1) not programmed with a name in my phone or 2) are in my new area code. I do have to take those calls because it could be for my mother, who I moved to a place nearby or someone I do business with, but don't have all their numbers yet. Fortunately the idiot scammers haven't figured it out yet that I no longer live in that other state!

The good news is the actions the providers had to take have reduced the number of calls that get through to voicemail. The bad news is some still slip through. I do try to report those that are clearly scams targeting elders, such as Medicare, SS, IRS - it's great when they provide a recorded call back number!
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Before hiding everything with your parents social on it. (Which is a waste of time for some) My dad 97 knows his social security number by heart. I am 67 ex military wife of the 70’s. I can recite my social, my ex’s social and my dads social at any time. We used to have to give social security numbers for every transaction on post. They get imbedded in your brain. So before you hide these documents ask your parent what their social security number is. You may be surprised to know they know it.
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AlvaDeer Dec 2020
Isn't THAT the truth. It is a number that lives in our brains, so often have we had to use it, and I imagine will be there forever. It is like they say, when the world is over there will be cockroaches and the IRS still there. I suspect when all else is washed our of our minds, there will sit that SS number!
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A man with an exceptionally heavy Indian accent and with a great deal of crowded phone bank noise in the background called my parent's home to say he was from Medicare and there were new cards being issued that contained gold chips in them that were GPS monitoring devices. As I quickly researched this particular scam online, I asked how was I supposed to know that he was actually from Medicare? He got angry and tried to bully me into believing him. Wow. I told him I had captured his number and would be reporting it to the FCC and FBI fraud departments. Both have websites for this purpose . Then he hung up in disgust. It just never ends. The greed, corruption and lack of integrity.
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THIS IS SCAM! SCAM! SCAMMY SCAM!
Don't worry, these calls come from India (often from Mumbai) and they have no merit other than try to give them information and money usually by buying a gift cards and giving them the gift card number.

DO NOT ENGAGE with these con artists, do not "confirm" your address or social security number or any other sensitive information.
I have several calls a month from "IRS", from "Social Security Administration" or from "Computer Repair", from "Medicare" etc.
The calls vary from solicitous to threatening. "You committed tax fraud! We will send police after you!" Yeah! Right!

I am sure you have more pressing problems in your life than to deal with fake calls.

Just remember - government agencies like SSA, IRS, Medicare will NEVER EVER call you if there is a problem. They will send you a letter if they need something from you.
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NeedHelpWithMom Dec 2020
If I am bored or feel like having fun, when they tell me that an FBI agent will be knocking on my door, I tell them to send them over and I will put on a pot of coffee.

I hear an immediate click on the phone! Hahaha 🤣
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