The Social Security Administration and its Office of Inspector General led the seventh annual Slam the Scam Day on March 5 as part of the FTC National Consumer Protection Week. The campaign highlighted government impersonation schemes that use spoofed phone, text and email contacts and urged use of reporting resources.

On March 5, 2026 the Social Security Administration and the SSA Office of the Inspector General coordinated the seventh annual Slam the Scam Day, a focused outreach day within the FTC’s National Consumer Protection Week. The agencies issued toolkits and public warnings about the persistence and evolution of government impersonation scams that now frequently use phone and text spoofing, fraudulent emails, and social engineering tactics to extract money via gift cards, cryptocurrency or wire transfers. Messaging emphasized a memorable four-part red flag framework — Pretend, Problem or Prize, Pressure, Payment — designed to help people quickly spot scam hallmarks. The SSA/OIG urged immediate reporting of suspicious contacts to SSA fraud hotlines and to the FTC, and encouraged beneficiaries and the public to verify any communication that purports to be from government entities before sharing personal information. By amplifying resources and reporting channels, the annual day aims to reduce victimization and support coordinated enforcement and prevention efforts across federal and state partners.