Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Coal Region Canary
Coal Region CanaryCoal Region Canary

Coal Region Consumer

Cressona Couple Duped in $10,000 Social Security Scam

If the solution to your problem involves gift cards, it’s a scam.

A Cressona couple was recently duped by a scammer purporting to be from the Social Security Administration.

According to State Police in Schuylkill Haven, a Cressona woman reports that she was contacted by phone from someone claiming to be with the Social Security Administration.

This bogus agent told the local woman to get large quantities of Walmart gift cards to alleviate the fake problem. The Cressona woman was to purchase the gift cards and then surrender their PINs with a text message back to the scammers.

The scammers allegedly told the Cressona woman that if she didn’t comply, agents would show up and arrest her. So, she tells police that she withdrew money from her and her husband’s joint bank account and bought between $6,000 and $10,000 in gift cards.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.
https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1658728627906147

Social Security Scams Persist

The Social Security Administration is well aware that scammers and impostors exist, purporting to be agents of SSA. SSA reminds the public that it’ll never call to address any issues with your Social Security account, including payments.

SSA says it’ll only contact you via letter, and it’ll contain information on possible payments due or the appeals process.

The use of gift cards as a means of payment is a guaranteed sign that something is a scam. In reality, these are means of stealing personal financial information.

The Social Security Administration put together this one-pager to help the public identify potential scammers pretending to be SSA agents. EN-05-10597

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.
https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1658728627906147

Subscribe to Coal Region Canary

Get email updates from Coal Region Canary by becoming a subscriber today. Just enter your email address below to get started!
Loading

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More From The Canary

Obituaries Index

The latest obituaries from Schuylkill County .

PA Lottery Numbers

Check those tickets!

PA Lottery Numbers

Check those tickets!

PA Lottery Numbers

Check those tickets!

Local Weather

Classic Pennsylvania weather this week.

Local Weather

Don't bust out the snow boots just yet. It's just a little bit of snow ... probably won't stick to much, if it snows...

Local Weather

The S word is in the forecast but doesn't look like it's anything to worry about at all.

Local Business News

It started as a home-based bakery and now occupies a storefront in the busy King's Village.

Local Business News

Learn the inspiring story behind what started this handmade leather earrings business.

Local Business News

Lots of great gift ideas this holiday season from Pressed!

Schuylkill County News

Autopsy revealed intrauterine fentanyl toxicity, court documents show.

Schuylkill County Obituaries

Michael W. Brennan Jr., 53, of Tower City, passed away Thursday, November 30, 2023 at the Lehigh Valley Hospital, Pottsville.

Advertisement https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1658728627906147