Federal officials are warning the public about a growing phone scam in which fraudsters impersonate retailers, government agencies and law enforcement before falsely claiming to transfer victims to the Social Security Administration or its Office of Inspector General.

The Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General said the scheme begins with a caller posing as a representative from a retailer, bank or another organization who claims to have detected suspicious activity, such as an unauthorized purchase.

If the recipient denies making the purchase, the caller claims to transfer the call to a Social Security or Office of Inspector General representative. Officials stressed that legitimate companies and government agencies cannot transfer calls directly to the Social Security Administration or its watchdog office.

Once connected, the scammer claims the victim’s Social Security number has been compromised, linked to identity theft or used in criminal activity. Victims may be told they need to sign documents related to a fictitious investigation, keep the conversation secret, provide sensitive personal or financial information, grant access to their electronic devices, or even pay to obtain a new Social Security number.

In one recently reported case, a consumer received a call from someone claiming to represent a major retailer regarding a purchase they had not made. The caller then transferred the consumer to a person posing as a Social Security representative, who falsely claimed the victim’s identity had been stolen and used to open bank accounts and commit other crimes. The scammer sent documents for the consumer to sign, instructed them not to discuss the matter with anyone and promised to issue a new Social Security number. The consumer recognized the warning signs and contacted the Social Security Administration directly before losing any money.

The Office of Inspector General said requests for secrecy, claims that a Social Security number has been suspended or needs to be reissued, and pressure to act immediately are all common warning signs of fraud.

Officials advise anyone who receives such a call to hang up immediately and avoid pressing any numbers or remaining on the line. Consumers should not rely solely on caller ID, as scammers can spoof government phone numbers.

Those concerned about possible fraud should contact the Social Security Administration, their bank or the retailer involved using verified contact information rather than phone numbers provided during the suspicious call. Officials also recommend changing passwords for any accounts that may have been compromised and reporting the scam through the Social Security Office of Inspector General’s online reporting system.