Black specks on cat - should I be concerned?

I keep finding these black specks on my 9 year old cat around her neck in her fur. She likes to roll around in my basement and garage a lot, so I figured it might be dirt, but since it's mainly just around her neck, I figured that probably isn't the answer. Might they be scabs or some kind of bug? They're irregularly shaped and they usually come off if I'm petting or scratching her gently. I'm not really sure what to do about it either way. Any answer is appreciated. I can't figure out how to post the picture I took but if I do it will be in the comments