Identity theft is a very common fear, but can be even more prevalent among those on Social Security disability. Unscrupulous persons may attempt to defraud you of your disability benefits by stealing your identity and data, including the data needed to access your benefits payouts. Even if they do not steal your identity, they may attempt to solicit payments under fraudulent pretenses. While your first instinct in the case of social security fraud may be to contact the local police or Michigan Office of the Attorney General, you have other, better options. We at Adler Stilman, PLLC understand the distress you are facing, and are here to help.
The Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General provides a number of tips for detecting and avoiding scams, but if you have already been victimized then the Office of the Inspector General also offers a number of resources to report the fraud and take corrective action. In the instance of Social Security fraud or disenfranchisement, you may call the Social Security Fraud Hotline. IRS implementation scams can be reported to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, while the FTC offers resources for you to report and recover from identity theft. Depending on the extent of the damage, you may need legal help to pursue further action.
With the advancement of technology making fraud and identity theft ever easier, you deserve to know how you can protect yourself against Social Security disability scams. For more information on ways to detect and prevent scams, please visit our blog and website.
