The Department of the Treasury would like you to know, despite what some YouTube personalities are saying, you can’t use your Social Security number to pay your utility bills.

A new fraudulent Social Security claim is making the rounds on the internet: need to pay off some outstanding debt?  Simply enter your Social Security number as the account number–or  the routing numbers of federal reserve banks featured on your Social Security card–and it will unlock the secret “trust account” the government has set up in every individual’s name.

Sounds awfully nice, but just a quick question: when it’s no secret the Trust Fund is set to deplete by 2034, can we really believe that we’ve all got secret individual “trust accounts”  attached to our Social Security numbers–AND that they’re flush with cash?

We hate to break it to you, but saying this one’s “a little too good to be true” is an understatement.

There are no such secret accounts.  And for what it’s worth, it’s probably not a great idea to listen to someone claiming something like this “totally works, 100%” in nearly the same breath as they say “if it doesn’t work, it’s not because it isn’t true.”

Hmm…

So if you decide to try it for yourself?  Be prepared to pay the price.  This scam has become so popular that banks and government bureaus are warning employees to be on the look-out for these attempts.  Anyone pulling this stunt can expect a swift non-sufficient fund (NSF) return and any NSF fees that may apply.

But it’s probably best if you just don’t fall for this one.