What the Social Security fraud hotline is and who runs it

The Social Security Office of Inspector General (OIG) operates a hotline to receive reports of fraud, waste, and misuse of Social Security benefits and programs. The hotline is staffed by federal investigators who work for an independent office within the Social Security Administration. When you call or submit information, it goes to people whose job is to investigate whether someone is breaking the law — not to process your own benefits or answer questions about your account.

The hotline exists because Social Security programs handle billions of dollars in benefits each year. Fraud happens when someone lies to get benefits they are not may have access to to — for example, reporting a deceased person as still alive, hiding work income, or concealing a child's age. Waste and misuse include overpayments that were not caught, benefits paid to the wrong person, or administrative errors. The OIG investigates all three.

Key Takeaways

  • The Social Security OIG hotline accepts reports by phone at 1-800-269-0271, by mail, or through an online form at oig.ssa.gov.
  • You can report suspected fraud anonymously, and you do not need proof — the investigators decide whether to open a case.
  • Reports can be about someone receiving benefits they should not, someone working while claiming they cannot work, or overpayments that were not returned.
  • The hotline does not handle complaints about your own benefits, denials, or payment errors — those go to your local Social Security office or the appeals process.
  • Investigations can take months or years, and you will not be told the outcome unless you are a witness called to testify.

How to report fraud by phone, mail, or online

The fastest way to report is by phone. Call 1-800-269-0271 during business hours (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern time). Have the person's name and Social Security number ready if you have it, but you do not need it to make a report. The person who answers will ask you what you observed, when you observed it, and how you know the person. You can remain anonymous — you do not have to give your name.

If you prefer to write, mail your report to: Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, P.O. Box 17768, Baltimore, MD 21235. Include as much detail as you can: the person's name, Social Security number if known, what they are doing that you believe is fraudulent, when it happened, and how you know about it. Handwritten or typed letters are both accepted.

You can also submit a report online at oig.ssa.gov. Look for the "Report Fraud" or "Hotline" section. The online form asks for the same information as the phone line. Submitting online does not require you to give your name, and your report is encrypted before it reaches the investigators.

What kinds of fraud the hotline investigates

The most common reports involve someone receiving retirement or disability benefits while still working and earning money they did not report. Social Security limits how much a beneficiary can earn before benefits are reduced or stopped. If someone is working full-time but telling Social Security they are unable to work, that is fraud.

Another frequent report is someone continuing to receive benefits for a person who has died. Family members sometimes cash checks or continue direct deposits after a death to avoid losing income. Social Security requires the death to be reported within a short window, and continuing to collect after that is a federal crime.

Reports also come in about undisclosed income, hidden assets, or unreported household members. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) has strict income and resource limits. If someone receives SSI but is hiding money, owns property they did not report, or has a household member they did not tell Social Security about, that is misuse of benefits.

Less common but still investigated: someone receiving benefits under a false identity, benefits paid to the wrong person due to identity theft, or a representative payee (someone managing benefits for another person) stealing or misusing those benefits.

What happens after you report

After you call or submit a report, the OIG decides whether to open an investigation. They do not investigate every report — they prioritize based on the amount of money involved, how clear the fraud appears, and how many reports they have already received. You will not hear back about whether they opened a case. The OIG does not send confirmation letters or call you with updates.

If they do investigate, it can take months or even years. Investigators may interview the person, request records from Social Security, contact employers, or review bank statements. If they find evidence of fraud, they can refer the case to the U.S. Attorney's Office for criminal prosecution, or Social Security can recover the overpaid benefits through wage garnishment or benefit reduction.

You may be contacted if you are a witness and your testimony is needed in court. Otherwise, you will not know the outcome. The OIG does not share investigation results with people who report — that information is confidential.

What the hotline does not handle

The fraud hotline is not the place to report problems with your own benefits. If your payment is wrong, your claim was denied, or you disagree with a decision Social Security made about you, those issues go to your local Social Security office or the appeals process, not the OIG hotline.

Do not use the hotline to ask questions about how benefits work, to report a scam targeting you, or to complain about customer service. If you received a call or email claiming to be from Social Security and asking for personal information, that is likely a scam — report it to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov instead.

The hotline also does not investigate disputes between you and a family member over who should receive benefits, or disagreements about how a representative payee is spending money. Those situations may require a lawyer or a formal complaint to Social Security, not a fraud report.

Contact information and resources

Social Security OIG Hotline: 1-800-269-0271 (Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m. ET)

Online reporting: oig.ssa.gov

Mailing address: Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, P.O. Box 17768, Baltimore, MD 21235

If you need to report a problem with your own benefits or account, contact your local Social Security office by calling 1-800-772-1213 or visiting ssa.gov to find the office nearest you. If you received a suspicious call or email claiming to be from Social Security, report it to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov or call 1-877-438-4338.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to give my name when I report fraud?

No. You can report anonymously by phone, mail, or online. The OIG accepts reports without identifying information. However, if your report leads to an investigation and you are the only person who witnessed the fraud, investigators may try to contact you as a witness.

What if I am not sure whether something is fraud?

Call or submit a report anyway. You do not need to be certain. Describe what you observed and let the investigators decide whether it meets the definition of fraud. It is better to report something that turns out to be innocent than to stay silent about something that is illegal.

Can I report fraud if I do not have the person's Social Security number?

Yes. Provide their name, address, date of birth, or any other identifying information you have. The OIG can search their records to find the person. A Social Security number makes the investigation faster, but it is not required to file a report.

Will the person know I reported them?

Not necessarily. If the OIG investigates, they may contact the person, but they will not say who reported them. Your identity is protected unless you are called as a witness in a criminal case, in which case you may have to testify in court.

How long does an investigation take?

There is no set timeline. Some cases close quickly if no fraud is found. Others take months or years if investigators need to gather records, interview witnesses, or coordinate with other agencies. You will not receive updates on the status of your report.