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Recently my husband, three years from full retirement, checked his online Social Security account. He found his email had been changed and that an application for retirement benefits was waiting for approval. He reported it to the Office of the Inspector General, Identitytheft.gov, and called Social Security directly.
We don’t know how it happened, but we have a theory. We were part of a data breach (who hasn’t been these days?). We knew from credit monitoring that our Social Security numbers and other information were on the dark web.
I have called Social Security in the past regarding my retirement benefits, and to change my phone number. Before someone can assist me, they ask for my Social Security number, date of birth, where I was born, and my mother’s maiden name. This information is available on the dark web, as well as from simple Google searches.
That’s how we think it happened, a call to Social Security with the correct “security” answers, and someone was able to change the email and apply for early retirement benefits through my husband’s work history over the phone.
Also, checking his Login.gov he found an unauthorized link to the Treasury Department. Also trying to get our income tax return?
If you don’t have an online Social Security account, set one up. If you do, check it frequently.
My husband is vice president of informatics and technology at a nationally known organization; he is vigilant with all kinds of scams. If this can happen to him it can happen to anyone.
Nancy Townsend Johnson
Dixfield
