LITTLE ROCK – Attorney General Leslie Rutledge is warning Arkansans of the increased number of scam artists calling and claiming their Social Security numbers have been stolen or compromised. These scams normally start with the scammers calling and stating they work for the Social Security Administration. They will then claim a Social Security number has been canceled due to fraud or misuse. In response, Arkansans will often verify their information over the phone, but once the number is shared, the scam artist steals the victim’s identity and uses it for their own monetary gain.
“I have heard from Arkansans across the state who tell me the same heart-breaking story of losing their life savings after sharing their personal information,” said Attorney General Rutledge. “Con artists will do anything to steal someone else’s hard-earned money.”
Attorney General Rutledge and the Federal Trade Commission released the following tips for Arkansans who may be dealing with a government impostor:
- Never give out or confirm sensitive information, such as bank account, credit card or social security numbers, to an unsolicited caller.
- Be cautious of callers using organization names similar to existing agencies. Scammers use internet technology to spoof area codes, so although it may seem the call is from Washington, D.C., it could originate from anywhere in the world.
- The Social Security Administration and other government agencies have warned about these scams and suggest contacting the agency directly.
- The Social Security Administration can be contacted at (800) 772-1213 to verify the reason for the contact and the person’s identity prior to providing any information to the caller.
To report this scam to the Social Security Administration, contact its Fraud Hotline at (800) 269-0271, or file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.
For more information about consumer-related issues, contact the Arkansas Attorney General’s office at consumer@ArkansasAG.gov or visit ArkansasAG.gov.
About Attorney General Leslie Rutledge
Leslie Carol Rutledge is the 56th Attorney General of Arkansas. Elected on November 4, 2014, and sworn in on January 13, 2015, she is the first woman and first Republican in Arkansas history to be elected as Attorney General. She was resoundingly re-elected on November 6, 2018. Since taking office, she has significantly increased the number of arrests and convictions against online predators who exploit children and con artists who steal taxpayer money through Social Security Disability and Medicaid fraud. Further, she has held Rutledge Roundtable meetings and Mobile Office hours in every county of the State each year, and launched a Military and Veterans Initiative. She has led efforts to roll back government regulations that hurt job creators, fight the opioid epidemic, teach internet safety, combat domestic violence and make the office the top law firm for Arkansans. Rutledge serves as co-chairs of the National Association of Attorneys General Veterans Affairs Committee, re-established and co-chairs the National Association of Attorneys General Committee on Agriculture and was the former Chairwoman of the National Association of Attorneys General Southern Region. As the former Chairwoman of the Republican Attorneys General Association, she remains active on the Executive Board.
A native of Batesville, she is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law. Rutledge clerked for the Arkansas Court of Appeals, was Deputy Counsel for former Governor Mike Huckabee, served as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in Lonoke County and was an Attorney at the Department of Human Services before serving as Counsel at the Republican National Committee. Rutledge and her husband, Boyce, have one daughter. The family has a home in Pulaski County and a farm in Crittenden County.
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