Save Social Security! Group Accused of Scams Targets N.J. Seniors
by Karin Price Mueller, NJ.com
Flickr / Judith E. Bell
A complaint-laden organization that solicits donations nationwide is making a play in New Jersey.
“You have been specifically chosen to represent Mercer County in this Referendum on Social Security campaign,” said a pitch letter received by Bob Lampert of Ewing.
“The National Council for Survivors is a grassroots organization that works to protect the hard-earned Social Security benefits owed to America’s seniors,” the letter said.
The four-page missive warned that Social Security could go bankrupt, “leaving you and me with little — or even none — of the money we worked so hard to save.”
“I got upset right away because it was something about ending Social Security,” said Lampert, 82. “Social Security is naturally very dear to me, as it is to many others.”
But pretty quickly, Lampert was suspicious.
He recognized the letter had many warning signs of a scam: telling the recipient to “rush,” saying the recipient had been “specially selected” and saying the mailing was “exclusive.”
It also asked for money.
A one-time donation of $16.45.
“I need to send Referendums to every county in America… and your $16.45 will help me send an additional 36 Referendums on Social Security to citizens across America who feel the same way as you and me,” the letter said.