Scammers are targeting the Social Security Numbers of Contra Costa County residents

• Scammers were found calling and asking individuals to pay a fee to unlock their Social Security Numbers.
• Contra Costa County prosecutors advised residents to avoid giving out their Social Security Numbers to anyone.

Contra Costa County prosecutors are warning residents about a new phone scam that involves cybercriminals asking for an individual's Social Security Number. The scam involves scammers calling and asking individuals to pay a fee to unlock their Social Security Numbers to protect themselves from criminal activity.

Prosecutors of Contra Costa County said that the scammers asked individuals to confirm their Social Security Numbers, which the scammers can later use to perform identity theft attacks, ABC7 news reported.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently reported an increase in the activity of such scammers. They attempt to collect personal information from unsuspecting victims for the purposes of identity theft, the prosecutors said.

Scam warning

The Prosecutors warn the residents of Contra Costa County the following:

• The Social Security Administration will never call and ask for an individual’s Social Security Number.
• Residents will never be asked to pay anything over the phone by anyone from the Social Security Administration.
• Residents must avoid giving out their Social Security number or the last four digits of the number to anyone.
• If someone asks for payment via a gift card, cash or wire transfer, this is evidence of a scam.