Social Security Impersonation Scam: Two Convicted in a Call Center Scheme

In a Social Security impersonation scam, a caller claims to work for the Social Security Administration, says your Social Security number has been linked to a crime, and offers to “protect” your money by having you move it. In one India-based call center scheme, a 70-year-old woman sent more than $600,000. Two U.S. men who received victims’ money were convicted by a federal jury in Atlanta on June 26, 2025.

What happened

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, Pradip Parikh, 67, of Valley Stream, New York, and Alpesh Patel, 40, of Louisa, Virginia, were convicted after a five-day jury trial. They were among ten people indicted in 2022 for running, promoting and profiting from the call center scam.

The callers typically said they were Social Security employees. They told victims their Social Security numbers had been compromised in connection with criminal activity and promised to help protect their assets. Victims were then told to send money to bank accounts controlled by Parikh, Patel and other conspirators.

At trial, a 70-year-old victim from New Jersey testified that a caller told her she would be arrested and lose all her assets if she did not transfer funds. She sent more than $600,000 of her life savings to several accounts, including $150,000 to an account called “JDM Management” that Parikh controlled. A recently widowed mother of eight testified that she sent over $300,000 to the same account.

Other victims wired money to an account called “Seven Points Agency,” controlled by Patel. It was opened just before the wires began, and more than $100,000 arrived in two days. Patel kept about $10,000 and passed the rest on.

Patel was convicted on all counts, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. Parikh was convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering and two money laundering counts. As of the release, sentencing had not been scheduled. The case was investigated by the SSA Office of the Inspector General and the FBI.

How the call went

Based on the court release, the script moved in steps:

• A caller says they are from Social Security.
• They say your Social Security number has been compromised and tied to criminal activity.
• They offer to help “protect” your assets.
• They threaten arrest and the loss of everything if you don’t act.
• They give you bank accounts to wire your money to.

Red flags

Social Security lists these tactics on its scam page:

• Threats to suspend your Social Security number or seize your bank account.
• Threats of arrest unless you act right away.
• Being told to move money to a protected account to keep it safe.
• Spoofed caller ID showing a government or police number.
• A transfer to a so-called law enforcement agent who will “help.”
• Demands for secrecy.

What would have stopped it

• Hanging up. Social Security’s advice is to pause, hang up and talk to someone you trust.
• One firm rule: no government agency asks you to wire your savings to an account it names.
• Calling a family member before sending any large transfer, even when told to keep it quiet.
• Asking the bank to pause a wire that feels rushed.

If this happens to your family

• Call the bank on the number on the back of the card. Ask about recent wires and whether any can be recalled.
• Report the scam to the SSA Office of the Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov/report.
• Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and at ic3.gov.
• Call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311), Monday to Friday, 10am to 6pm ET.
• Call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 877-908-3360 for support.

These scams depend on fear and a long phone call. FamilyDefender checks unknown calls while they happen and can warn the parent and alert family when a call looks risky.