According to the United States Bureau of Justice Statistics, 10% of individuals over the age of 15 were victimized by the crime of identity theft. This breaks down to more than 17 million people. In 2016, the total financial amount of losses reported by individuals who were victimized added up to about $17.5 billion. Identity theft is both destructive and expensive. Individuals in the age group of 35 to 49 and 50 to 64 were the most targetted by identity thieves that year. Identity theft crimes aren’t slowing down, in fact, they are rapidly increasing.

Scammers looking to get information on you to steal your identity will engage in several deceitful behaviors and tactics, nothing is off of the table. Identity thieves can steal a lot of money if they trick enough people and being aware of the existence of these criminals is important so that you aren’t taken advantage of. While older individuals and the elderly are targetted often, anyone is subject to having their identity stolen. When you are in need of Social Security Disability benefits in Florida, the last thing that you want to deal with is having your personal information taken and used against you. Protecting yourself from scams when you are using your personal information to obtain benefits is vital to safeguarding your money and your existence.

How Can You Defend Yourself Against SSD Benefit Scams in Florida?

There are certain precautions you can take to better preserve and keep safe your information from predators that want to defraud you when you are applying for SSDI benefits in Tallahassee. Think about the following with regard to behaviors that can help you avoid being conned:

1. Anyone who is pressuring you to provide them with your personal information should be a red flag. Your social security number and banking information should only be given to parties who you trust and you know are honest. For example, if you get a call from a person claiming that they are from the Social Security Administration and they need your information, and they are threatening you or trying to intimidate you into providing the data you should hang up. No entity that is genuine is going to make you feel concerned or fearful if you don’t give them your information.
2. If you receive an e-mail or a text message asking you for your information, do not provide it. Transferring this information over these platforms is not how authentic entities ask for it, so it is most likely a good idea to just delete these fake messages.
3. Keep an eye on your monthly benefits by reviewing your statements regularly to ensure that they are correct. If you need help managing your benefits, you can have a representative payee appointed to you to handle that task.

When you have questions about anyone contacting you saying they are from the SSA, you can always contact your Tallahassee SSA field office with questions or direct your inquiries to your Florida SSDI attorney.

Speak with a Tallahassee SSDI Attorney Today

For help with your Social Security Disability claim in Tallahassee, questions regarding your claim or the process of obtaining SSDI in Florida, call Stephen M. Andrews at (850) 906-9599. Stephen M. Andrews is a Tallahassee SSDI attorney with more than 35 years of experience.