Hang Up! Never Give Bank Info or SSN on Phone Calls

If someone calls you out of the blue asking for your bank account number or Social Security number, your immediate reaction should be to hang up the phone. Seriously, just end the call. This is almost certainly a scam, and engaging with the caller, even to be polite, can put you at risk.

Think of it like this: legitimate organizations like your bank, credit card company, or the Social Security Administration simply do not operate this way. They already have your bank account information if you are a customer, and the Social Security Administration certainly has your Social Security number. They will not call you up randomly and ask you to “verify” this highly sensitive information over the phone.

Imagine if your doctor called you every week asking for your address and date of birth, just to “make sure” they have it right. It would be ridiculous, right? They already have this information securely in your medical records. It’s the same principle with financial institutions and government agencies.

Scammers use phone calls because they can pressure you and create a sense of urgency. They might sound very official, even using convincing-sounding names or claiming to be from a well-known institution. They might say things like “We’ve detected suspicious activity on your account” or “To prevent your Social Security benefits from being suspended, we need to verify your information immediately.” This is all designed to scare you into acting quickly without thinking clearly.

Here’s why you should never give this information over the phone to an unsolicited caller:

• Legitimate organizations have secure ways to communicate: Banks and government agencies use secure websites, mail, and sometimes secure messaging within their apps to communicate sensitive information. They will rarely, if ever, initiate a phone call to ask for your personal details. If they need to verify something, they will usually ask you to call them back at a known, official number.
• You can’t verify who is really calling: Caller ID can be easily faked (“spoofed”). Scammers can make it look like they are calling from your bank or a government agency, even when they are not. Just because the caller ID looks familiar doesn’t mean the call is legitimate.
• Giving out your information opens you up to fraud and identity theft: Your bank account number and Social Security number are keys to your financial life and identity. Scammers want this information to steal your money, open fraudulent accounts in your name, file false tax returns, or commit other types of identity theft.

So, what should you do if you get one of these calls?

1. Hang up immediately. Don’t try to be polite, don’t engage in conversation, just end the call.
2. Do not call back the number that called you. If you are concerned the call might be legitimate (even though it probably isn’t), look up the official phone number for the organization they claimed to be calling from. You can find this on their official website or on a statement.
3. Call the official number. Explain that you received a suspicious call and want to verify if there is a legitimate issue. For example, if they claimed to be from your bank, call your bank using the number on the back of your debit card or on your bank’s website. If they claimed to be from the Social Security Administration, go to the official SSA website (ssa.gov) to find their contact information.
4. Report the scam. You can report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. This helps authorities track scams and warn others.

In short, remember this golden rule: Never give your bank account number or Social Security number to someone who calls you unexpectedly. Protect yourself by being skeptical of unsolicited calls and always verifying requests through official channels that you initiate yourself. Your vigilance is your best defense against these types of scams.