If you or a loved one are at the age to be thinking about Social Security, you also need to make sure you’re aware of Social Security scams.

Social Security scams are unfortunately common. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received more than 27,000 reports of Social Security scams in 2022, resulting in $75 million in losses. The SSA Office of the Inspector General’s most recent report on Social Security scams tracked reports of scams and scam attempts on people of all ages, so while you might think you need to protect your older relatives (and you should), scammers are after everyone’s money. All adults should be aware of them.

Thanks to people reporting scams, the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) is able to issue warnings about the most frequent scams and offers tips on how to avoid them. The agency says there are a few key things to look out for and know when determining if you are being scammed.

SSA Won’t Call You

First, one of the most important things to know is that the SSA won’t ever call you. The No. 1 contact method for scammers is by phone, so if you get a phone call from someone claiming to work at the Social Security Administration or another government office about your Social Security, you should hang up immediately.