O.C. Police warning residents, visitors of social security scam

OCEAN CITY, Md. – The Ocean City Police Department is warning residents and visitors about scam phone calls currently circulating the area.

According to police, the scammers claim to be from the Social Security Administration or a local, state, or federal law enforcement agency. Victims are advised that their social security number has been used to open numerous accounts or is involved in some sort of illegal operation, and that in order to protect their money or avoid being arrested, they have to send various sums of money to resolve the situation. Most commonly, the victims are asked to send the money via prepaid gift cards, Bitcoin, and bank wire transfers.

Police also say that in many cases, a person posing as a police or law enforcement officer will intimidate or threaten victims to get them to comply, telling them that they will be arrested and/or their assets will be frozen if they don’t comply. Scammers have used spoofing to manipulate caller IDs to display the number of the social security administration.

The scammers also allegedly will remain on the phone with the victims while they go into stores to purchase Bitcoin or gift cards and will tell them not to tall the clerks what is going on and/or will give them made up stories to tell so they will not be denied purchase of the cards.

“Individuals will never be contacted by the OCPD, Social Security Administration, or any Law Enforcement Agency and asked to submit money or information over the phone. If you are contacted by anyone claiming to be from an agency such as these and asking for money, you should immediately hang up the phone,” said Ocean City Police Chief Ross Buzzuro.

If you would like more information or believe you have been a victim of a scam, click here.