Just how easy is it to fall prey to an organized Social Security scam? Imagine you’re relaxing one ordinary day, when you get a phone call. The caller identification indicates it’s the Social Security Administration (SSA).

You pick up the phone, and before you know it, you’re being patched through to multiple parties across different departments. The goal? To clear your name, after your Social Security number was stolen.

This is what happened to an Ohio woman. But there was no stolen number – at least not initially. That’s because the call and the entire operation around it was a Social Security scam. Now she’s sharing her story in hopes it may help others stay safe.

This Social Security Scam Had Everything – Including One Twist

The Ohio woman who was targeted was preyed on using fear mongering. As we’ve discussed, this is arguably the most popular tactic of scammers. They told her that her number was linked to drug trafficking and money laundering activities. She worried she could face jail time.

But the person on the other line, who claimed to be from the SSA, assured her they were there to help. She mentioned the operation was very smooth. The person she was talking to had all the answers, and never hesitated. In addition, her calls were put through to multiple departments. The fact she talked to many different people may have made the scam seem even more real.

While it has all the makings of a classic scam, this one had one unique aspect. The woman was told to take her retirement funds and put them into gold. Then multiple people came to her home to pick the gold up. The first people who came by have not been caught. But the second pair of individuals were pulled over by police. They found the gold and the woman’s receipt in the car. Court records reveal the individuals recently served prison time, and are part of an international organized crime group.

As for the victim, though, her $500,000 in retirement funds is gone. After working for 40 years, she’s now looking for a job. She shared her story in hopes it may help someone else. She also shared her address in case anyone would like to help her – P.O. Box 604, Pataskala, OH 43062.

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