Watch CBS News

Seniors Lost Nearly $38 Million To Social Security Scam In 2019

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – It starts with a robocall, then a scary message about social security fraud. It's one of the most troubling scams targeting senior citizens.

Machel Anderson said she was distracted taking care of her grandchildren when the calls started coming in.

"It truly is embarrassing. I'm embarrassed," she said.

The caller claimed Anderson's social security number had been compromised.

On Capitol Hill Wednesday, she described how she fell for the con.

"This man told me my family was in danger and social security number being used by a powerful drug cartel and they would be watching my every move," she explained. "To protect our money I needed to transfer it to a safe offshore account."

She wired more than $150,000 to Hong Kong before she realized she'd been scammed.

"I was asked by someone, 'How could you be so stupid?' But at the time that I was going through it, it was very real," she said.

Seniors lost nearly $38 million to the social security scam in 2019 alone. Many are embarrassed to admit they fell for it.

"The emotional and psych toll for those who have lost hard earned life savings are beyond measure," said Sen. Susan Collins.

Many fraudulent calls are from foreign countries.

The Justice Department is cracking down on telecom companies to stop them from routing those calls to U.S. phone numbers.

For now, millions are getting through.

"If a caller said there's a problem with your social security number or account, hang up," said Social Security Administration Commissioner Andrew Saul.

The Social Security Administration said the best way to protect yourself is knowing how to spot a scam.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.