Wilmington Police Warn Residents About Latest Social Security Scam

WILMINGTON, MA — The Wilmington Police Department has issued a warning about social security scams after a resident reported receiving a call from a scammer this week.

According to the Wilmington PD, the resident was called by somebody reporting to be from the Social Security Administration. The caller stated that the resident would be receiving a new plastic social security card in the mail. However, the caller first had to verify the resident's personal information.

The Wilmington PD said this was a scam and likely an attempt at identity theft.

"The U.S. Government is not issuing new social security cards. Someone was attempting to steal their personal information," the Wilmington PD said in a statement. "Please remember that no one from the Social Security Administration (or any other government agency) will call you and ask you for your social security number or date of birth."

The Wilmington PD said that it is calling on residents to spread the word about the scam to friends and family, especially to senior citizens, who are the most vulnerable to identity theft and telephone and internet scams.

The department also has invited residents to visit the Social Security Administration's Fraud Prevention and Reporting page to learn how to prevent fraud, and what to do if fraud occurs.

The page contains a public service announcement about social security scams.

According to the Wilmington PD, if residents suspect that they or a family member have been victims of identity theft, they should:

• Contact the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-ID-THEFT (438-4338) or visit www.identitytheft.gov.
• Place a fraud alert on credit records with one of the three credit bureaus: Equifax (1-866-349-5191), Experian (1-888-397-3742) or TransUnion (1-800-680-7289).
• Contact financial providers (banks, credit card companies, etc.) to flag irregular transactions.
• Check social security earnings statement online to make sure online reported wages are correct. Visit www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.
• Block electronic access to social security accounts. Visit https://secure.ssa.gov/acu/IPS_INTR/blockaccess.