My 85-year-old mom, who depends on Social Security, received a letter claiming she owes $38,000 in 30 days. She definitely doesn’t have that money.
According to the letter, they say they overpaid her, but her income hasn’t changed for years since she’s 85. She’s tried calling Social Security, but only gets an answering machine to leave a message.
I find it ridiculous that they make mistakes and expect people to pay for them.
Sounds like a scam. You should help her contact the real Social Security office directly.
Yeah, I’m going to their office tomorrow.
It’s ‘reeks’ just for future reference.
They probably meant ‘wreaks havoc’ as a mix-up.
Absolutely. It’s easier to reach SSA by phone than going to their office.
Take the letter directly to the local Social Security office. Avoid calling any numbers listed in that letter because it could be a scam.
If someone tells me at 85 that I owe them money… they can wait until I’m gone to collect.
That’s already my attitude with debt collectors and I’m not even close to 85.
I’ve heard that before…
Without seeing the actual letter (personal info blocked), it’s hard to say what’s going on. Is there any specific action they’re asking your mom to take?
Your mom should make an appointment with the Social Security office, and if she’s calling, ensure it’s the number from the official website. It’s really suspicious, especially given her age, the high amount, and the voicemail situation. Make sure she isn’t just calling the number in the letter.
Just to add, make sure YOU call the number from the real website. Scammers can fake numbers easily.
Good point. Now that she’s called the number from the letter, there’s a good chance ‘fake Social Security’ will call her back.
This really sounds like a scam.
Don’t call any numbers from the letter. Check her Social Security account online and only use contact details from official sources. You should also book an appointment at the local Social Security office to get this sorted out and give her some peace of mind.
If there was an actual overpayment, they would reduce her future payments until the amount is covered. They usually don’t take everything, and I think it caps at 25%.
Even if it were real, they wouldn’t demand all that money at once. They’d work out a small repayment plan. You should visit your nearest Social Security office to sort it out.
I got a letter saying I owe money, and I’m not even retired! Scammers target vulnerable people all the time.
Sounds like a scam. Contact Social Security directly.
Could be identity theft. You should pull her credit reports to check if anyone’s using her Social Security number.
Also, contact the IRS using the number from their official website and explain the situation.
Please update us when you find out what’s really going on.