Human Services

The mission of the Lackawanna County Department of Human Services is to facilitate and support the development, coordination, and delivery of human services to County residents. The department utilizes their categorical program agencies to implement services that prevent, reduce or alleviate human service related issues, which affect an individual’s quality of life.

Following are the departments and offices, which comprise the human service system in Lackawanna County: Lackawanna County Area Agency on Aging, Lackawanna County Children & Youth Services, Lackawanna-Susquehanna Office of Drug & Alcohol Programs, Lackawanna-Susquehanna Behavioral Health / Intellectual Disabilities / Early Intervention Program, Lackawanna County Child Care Information Services, Lackawanna County Special Services (Homeless Assistance Programs, Human Services Development Fund, Center for Family Engagement).

Dear Elder Justice Colleagues,

The FTC is disseminating information about a scam where scammers are trying to get social security numbers and money. The scammers claim the consumer’s social security number was linked to a crime, and directed the consumer to withdraw money from their bank account.

Please tell people in your community about this scam. Let them know the calls are fake. No one should respond to an unexpected call about their social security number, even if the caller ID says “SSA” or displays 1-800-772-1213, the SSA’s phone number. If you’re worried about a call that claims to be from SSA, call the SSA at 1-800-772-1213.

Below is a recent FTC blog post about the scam. You can help by forwarding the post, or linking to the original at www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2018/12/fake-calls-about-your-ssn.

Fake calls about your SSN

December 12, 2018

by Jennifer Leach

Acting Associate Director, Division of Consumer and Business Education, FTC

The FTC is getting reports about people pretending to be from the Social Security Administration (SSA) who are trying to get your Social Security number and even your money. In one version of the scam, the caller says your Social Security number has been linked to a crime (often, he says it happened in Texas) involving drugs or sending money out of the country illegally. He then says your Social is blocked – but he might ask you for a fee to reactivate it, or to get a new number. And he will ask you to confirm your Social Security number.

In other variations, he says that somebody used your Social Security number to apply for credit cards, and you could lose your benefits. Or he might warn you that your bank account is about to be seized, that you need to withdraw your money, and that he’ll tell you how to keep it safe.

But all of these are scams. Here’s what you need to know:

The SSA will never (ever) call and ask for your Social Security number. It won’t ask you to pay anything. And it won’t call to threaten your benefits.
Your caller ID might show the SSA’s real phone number (1-800-772-1213), but that’s not the real SSA calling. Computers make it easy to show any number on caller ID. You can’t trust what you see there.
Never give your Social Security number to anyone who contacts you. Don’t confirm the last 4 digits. And don’t give a bank account or credit card number – ever – to anybody who contacts you asking for it.
Remember that anyone who tells you to wire money, pay with a gift card, or send cash is a scammer. Always. No matter who they say they are.

If you’re worried about a call from someone who claims to be from the Social Security Administration, get off the phone. Then call the real SSA at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). If you’ve spotted a scam, then tell the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint.

LACKAWANNA COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES DRUG AND ALCOHOL SERVICES PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

Information and Resources

Lackawanna County H.S. Plan SFY 2012-13