To report Social Security fraud, contact the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG): file online at oig.ssa.gov, call the fraud hotline at 1-800-269-0271, fax a written report to 410-597-0118, or mail it to the SSA Fraud Hotline, Office of the Inspector General, P.O. Box 17785, Baltimore, MD 21235.1Social Security Administration. Fraud Prevention and Reporting You don’t have to be certain a crime happened. You do need to give the OIG something concrete to work with.
The OIG handles both sides of Social Security fraud: people cheating the program (hiding work income while on disability, concealing a death to keep collecting checks, misusing money as a representative payee, hiding assets to qualify for SSI) and scammers impersonating SSA to steal from the public.2Office of the Inspector General. Fraud Categories The same channels work for both.
What to Gather Before You File
A vague tip rarely goes anywhere. A detailed one gives investigators a starting point. Before you contact the OIG, pull together what you can on the following:
- The suspect’s full legal name, date of birth, address, phone number, and Social Security number if you know it. The SSN especially speeds up the investigation.
- What happened: how the fraud was committed, approximate dates and locations, and dollar amounts if you can estimate them.
- What you personally saw versus what you heard from someone else, and whether anyone else has direct knowledge.
- For impersonation scams: the caller’s number, any voicemails or text messages, and what they demanded.
Don’t let a missing detail stop you from reporting. Send what you have.3Social Security Administration. Reporting Fraud (OIG)
The Four Ways to File
Online
The fastest option is the OIG’s fraud reporting form at oig.ssa.gov/report. It’s a secure questionnaire that walks you through the details above and confirms receipt when you submit.
Phone
Call the OIG fraud hotline at 1-800-269-0271, staffed Monday through Friday except federal holidays. TTY is 1-866-501-2101.4Office of the Inspector General. Other Ways to Report Fraud Have your notes in front of you so you can walk the intake specialist through the facts without scrambling.
Fax
Fax a written report to 410-597-0118.4Office of the Inspector General. Other Ways to Report Fraud
Send a letter to the Social Security Administration Fraud Hotline, Office of the Inspector General, P.O. Box 17785, Baltimore, MD 21235.5Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General. Fraud Hotline Label it clearly as a fraud allegation and include every detail you’ve gathered. Confirm the current address at oig.ssa.gov before sending, since mailing addresses can change.
Anonymous or Confidential
You can report anonymously, but there’s a real trade-off. Without your contact information, the OIG can’t reach you if the case needs clarification, and that gap can be the difference between an investigation that moves and one that stalls. Confidential reporting is usually the better choice: you give your name and contact details, the OIG protects them, and investigators can follow up as the case develops.6Office of the Inspector General. FAQ
Confidentiality is not informal. The Inspector General Act requires the OIG to keep your identity protected, and it will not be disclosed unless an OIG official determines disclosure is unavoidable (for example, if testimony is needed in court). In practice, the OIG honors confidentiality requests and does not voluntarily release information that identifies the reporter.6Office of the Inspector General. FAQ SSA has no reward or bounty program for fraud reports, so filing is civic duty, not a payday.
What Happens After You Report
The OIG reviews every submission to decide whether it falls within its jurisdiction and contains enough to investigate. Don’t expect updates. The OIG does not send status reports to the person who filed, regardless of outcome, because doing so would compromise both the investigation and the rights of the person accused.
Investigations can take months. If the evidence holds up, the OIG may refer the case to the Department of Justice for criminal prosecution. Less severe cases may end in administrative action instead, such as benefit suspension, termination, or a repayment plan. If the evidence doesn’t support the allegation, or the matter belongs to another agency, the case is closed or referred out.3Social Security Administration. Reporting Fraud (OIG)
Timing matters. The federal statute of limitations for Social Security fraud is five years, so prosecutors must bring charges within five years of the offense.7Social Security Administration (SSA) – Program Operations Manual System (POMS). Criminal Violations – Suspected Fraud Reporting promptly rather than sitting on information gives investigators room to work.
Be Honest About What You Know
Knowingly filing a false fraud report is itself a federal crime. Willfully making a materially false statement to a federal agency carries up to five years in prison.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 US Code 1001 – Statements or Entries Generally You don’t have to be right about every detail. You do have to be honest about what you actually observed and what you heard secondhand.
If Someone Is Using Your Own Social Security Number
This is a different problem than reporting someone else’s fraud, and the OIG hotline is not the first stop. Start by creating a my Social Security account at ssa.gov/myaccount and reviewing your earnings history. Employers you don’t recognize are a sign someone is working under your number.9Social Security Administration. What Should I Do if I Think Someone Is Using My Social Security Number
From there:
- Contact your local Social Security office to flag any income on your record that isn’t yours.
- Call the IRS at 1-800-908-4490 or visit irs.gov/identity-theft-central if the misuse involves employment or your tax refund.9Social Security Administration. What Should I Do if I Think Someone Is Using My Social Security Number
- Place a free one-year fraud alert on your credit by contacting Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion. The one you call is required to notify the other two.10Federal Trade Commission. Identity Theft Recovery Steps
- File an identity theft report at identitytheft.gov or by calling 1-877-438-4338. The FTC generates a recovery plan tailored to your situation.10Federal Trade Commission. Identity Theft Recovery Steps
- Lock your number for employment verification by creating an account at e-verify.gov/mye-verify and using the Self Lock feature.11E-Verify. Self Lock
You can still report the underlying fraud to the OIG using any of the channels above. These steps protect you while that investigation proceeds.
If You Get a Suspicious Call or Message
SSA impersonation scams are the most common way Social Security fraud reaches ordinary people. The SSA will never threaten arrest, never say your Social Security number has been suspended, and never demand payment by gift card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or cash.12Social Security Administration. 3 Ways to Fight Scammers Who Target Your Social Security Benefits If you actually owe SSA money, they send a letter through the mail explaining your rights.
Hang up without confirming any personal information. Call SSA directly at 1-800-772-1213 to verify whether any real contact was legitimate.13Social Security Administration. Contact Social Security By Phone Then report the scam to the OIG through the online form, hotline, fax, or mail.