Nearly everyone has a Social Security number, and now identity thieves, claiming to be the Social Security Administration, are targeting senior citizens.

“Dotty”, 74, who says she feels too vulnerable to reveal her real name or identity, recently received a phone call at her Burien home that scared her.

MORE INFORMATIONReport SSA Fraud 1-800-772-1213 http://www.socialsecurity.gov/

“He was calling regarding my new social security identification card. He went on to say, ‘We need to confirm your address.’ And he repeated my correct address and asked me to confirm it, which I did,” Dotty said. “But with that, he had my address, and that frightened me.”

Dotty says the caller didn't identify himself. He just said that he was from the Social Security Administration and needed to verify some personal information so he could issue her a new Social Security card.

“It wasn’t until he asked me for my bank that I became really, really, suspicious,” said Dotty.

“Why would he need that information?” asked KIRO 7 Consumer Investigator Amy Clancy.

“Probably to wipe out my bank account,” said Dotty.

The real Social Security Administration tells KIRO 7 that identity theft, or just theft in general, were most likely the caller's aim.

The SSA says it’s recently seen a huge increase in such phishing calls and emails and wants to warn people to never give out personal information to anyone who calls or emails unsolicited.

“In general, Social Security does not contact you to get personal information from you. We have that information in our records, and even if somebody says, ‘we’re calling to verify that information because our computer systems are down,’ that’s probably not true. Somebody’s probably trying to get information that they’re going to use later, against you,” said Joy Chang with the SSA.

Chang, the SSA's Regional Communications Director, says no new cards are being issued and that she believes the elderly are being targeted in this way more than anyone else.

Many are falling for the scam.

“Unfortunately, we’ve heard from some people who have gone so far as to give their bank information out and that means they may have to do something like close their accounts in order to prevent further loss,” said Chang.

Dotty was suspicious enough to just hang up but is speaking out because she wants to tell others who may receive a similar call that the man or woman on the other end are not who they say they are.

“They’re the scum of the earth,” said Dotty.

The SSA told KIRO it has launched investigations and is pursuing prosecution against some of the callers.

If you get a similar call or e-mail, hang up or delete the e-mail then call 1-800-772-1213 and report what happened.