New Social Security scam
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A new “high-pressure” scam aims to convince individuals that their Social Security numbers may be suspended due to criminal activity. new warning.
“Watch out! This is a scam!” the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General said in a recent warning.
The scheme includes emails sent with the subject line “Warning: Social Security Account Issues Detected.” An attachment containing fake letterhead purporting to represent the SSA OIG warns recipients that their Social Security numbers may be suspended within 24 hours and their cases may be referred for criminal prosecution.
These schemes often use scare tactics to trick victims into handing over their money, such as flagging suspicious activity on accounts, claiming personal information has been used to commit crimes, or claiming that online accounts or other personal devices have been hacked.
When recipients of spoofed emails call the phone number provided, they may encounter someone impersonating a Social Security Administration employee and sometimes even using a federal employee’s real name. Alternatively, callers can be directed to text via an automated message.
SSA OIG, which provides independent oversight of the Social Security Administration, warns recipients not to share personal information in response to notices.
“If you receive an unexpected call, text, email, letter or social media message from SSA OIG or any government agency, stop and consider fraud first,” acting inspector general Michelle L. Anderson said in a statement. “The person contacting you may not be who they claim to be.”
Anderson specifically said the SSA OIG “would never send letters like this.”
Older adults more likely to report fraud losses
State impostor scam may also be claimed to be from other agencies (e.g., Social Security Administration, IRS, Medicare, or Federal Trade Commission). Other plans could be argued to represent well-known businesses.
The Federal Trade Commission reports that in 2024, consumers lost more than $12.5 billion to fraud; This means a 25% increase compared to the previous year. reported In March.
Investment scams were the most common way to lose money; Imposter scams account for $5.7 billion in losses reported by consumers in 2024, followed by $2.95 billion in losses.
Adults 60 and older are most likely to report losses of tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars due to fraud, according to the FTC. The number of older adults who reported losing $10,000 or more to fraud more than quadrupled from 2020 to 2024, the agency said reported in August. During those same years, the number of older adults reporting losing more than $100,000 increased nearly sevenfold.
To avoid becoming a victim, the FTC warns consumers who are targets of these types of scams not to send or transfer money to anyone.
The agency also recommends that you independently verify whether a phone number or website is real and talk to someone you know and trust before transferring money.
Blocking unwanted calls can also prevent scammers from contacting you in the first place, according to the FTC.
