A resource specialist at the BBB of Minnesota and North Dakota received a call yesterday from a consumer who said they had been scammed at a website claiming to offer replacement Social Security cards. The website, which has been shut down, requested payment upfront and then referred the consumer to a nearby Social Security office where they could pick up their new card (in a few days). When they went to the Social Security office, they were told the website was not legitimate and they do not require payment for replacement Social Security cards.
Consumers are advised that it's important to be careful when doing Internet searches to find government agencies. There are many fake websites (which look official) designed solely to defraud consumers. Less people are using phone books to find information these days, but they're still a reliable means of finding contact information. When using the Internet, always be leery of websites where you're asked to pay money upfront.
