* Social Security benefits continue uninterrupted
The Social Security Administration reminds the public that Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefit payments will continue to be paid on time during the COVID-19 pandemic. The agency also reminds everyone to be aware of scammers who try to take advantage of the pandemic to trick people into providing personal information or payment via retail gift cards, wire transfers, internet currency, or by mailing cash, to maintain Social Security benefit payments or receive economic impact payments from the Department of the Treasury.
The United States Department of the Treasury will soon provide information about economic impact payments under the recently enacted law, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act. The Treasury Department, not Social Security, will be making direct payments to eligible people. Please do not call Social Security about these payments as the agency does not have information to share.
The United States Department of the Treasury will soon provide information about economic impact payments under the recently enacted law, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act. The Treasury Department, not Social Security, will be making direct payments to eligible people. Please do not call Social Security about these payments as the agency does not have information to share.
* Seniors also need to be aware of the increase in email and phishing scams.
From the St. Mary's County Department of Information and Technology:
"Please be aware of an increase in email-based attacks and suspicious emails, even if they are sent from a known contact. If an email arrives from a known contact, but includes links/attachments/CLICK HERE buttons, you should exercise due diligence to confirm the legitimacy of the email. Reach out to the contact in person or by phone to confirm they are the sender before opening. This includes things like prayer chains and COVID-19 information.
-Do not open suspicious emails
-Do not click links contained within
-Do not post sensitive information online, or provide usernames, passwords and/or personal information to any unsolicited request."
* Scams related to federal stimulus checks:
From the Federal Trade Commission:
"1. The government will not ask you to pay anything up front to get this money. No fees. No charges. No nothing.
2. The government will not call to ask for your Social Security number, bank account, or credit card number. Anyone who does is a scammer.
3. These reports of checks aren’t yet a reality. Anyone who tells you they can get you the money now is a scammer.
So, remember: no matter what this payment winds up being, only scammers will ask you to pay to get it. If you spot one of these scams, please tell the Federal Trade Commission: www.ftc.gov/complaint. We’re doing our best to stop these scammers in their tracks, and your report will help."
