I received three calls last Wednesday from scammers trying to get my personal information. One identified himself by his name and his federal badge number. I could tell by his accent that he “won’t from around here,” as we say down South.

A second caller had a thoroughly American accent, and basically told the same story. The Social Security Administration has noticed suspicious activity using my Social Security number and was suspending my number until such time as things got straightened out.

Scammers are back at their nefarious game of trying to use threats from “federal agencies” to intimidate us into revealing personal information and sending them money. They bluff, bully, and threaten all sorts of action in their quest for information they can use for their own purposes – or sell on the dark web.

Social Security’s website has a page devoted to scam calls.

“Be on the lookout for fake calls, texts, and emails” reads the headline. “Scammers are pretending to be government employees. They may threaten you and may demand immediate payment to avoid arrest or other legal action. Do not be fooled!”

“Be alert. Social Security may call you in some situations but will never: Threaten you; Suspend your Social Security number; Demand an immediate payment from you; Require payment by cash, gift card, pre-paid debit card, or wire transfer; Ask for gift card numbers over the phone or to wire or mail cash.”

The website goes on to say:

“If you receive a suspicious call, text, or email: 1) Hang up; 2) DO not return unknown calls, texts, or emails; 3) Do not give money or personal information; 4) Report the scam to the Office of the Inspector General (OIG).

“If you receive a call, text, or email that you believe to be suspicious, about a problem with your Social Security number or account, do not respond or engage with the caller or sender. Report Social Security phone, email, and text scams through our dedicated online form.”

Pay attention to these warnings. One Blue Ash, Ohio, mother of three learned these lessons the hard way. She had never had legal trouble. Then she received a call that thieves were using her Social Security number to open multiple accounts and sell drugs – crimes that could land her in jail if she did not act fast, the mom told John Matarese of WPVO, a reporter for the Cincinnati ABC affiliate.

“He said I needed to prove that I only have two bank accounts, not 25, and I needed to empty my accounts,” the shaken mother said. When the mom asked for more information, the caller became more hostile and told her there was no time to discuss her case with anyone, especially her husband. In the end, she emptied $20,000 from her bank account. She was told to buy $20,000 in gift cards from a variety of stores. Then she read him the gift card numbers.

The gift cards should have been a clue. Why would a government agent want the numbers of gift cards? Had this sleaze ball not rattled the poor woman so badly, she would never have followed his instructions.

Most of us think we are pretty savvy. However, even the best of us can become fearful at the threat of arrest, jail, and loss of our resources. I know that. You know that. The scammers know that.

The best way to deal with these scam calls is to hang up. Do not allow a scammer to get in your head. As the Social Security scam warning page says:

“Do not be fooled!”

Mike Parker is a columnist for Neuse News. You can reach him at mparker16@gmail.com.