Stay Alert – Watch Out for Social Security Scams

The Social Security Administration (SSA) recently warned the public about a significant increase in government imposter scam emails that falsely claim to provide access to a recipient's Social Security statement.

These scam emails are designed to appear legitimate and often use official-looking language, logos, colors, and formatting to mislead recipients into clicking links or downloading attachments. Once clicked, the links may install malware or direct victims to fake websites intended to steal personal and financial information.

Common warning signs include:

• Messages claiming your Social Security statement is ready to download
• Embedded links or attachments labeled as statements or documents
• Messages creating urgency or pressure to act immediately
• Sender addresses that do not end in ".gov"

To protect yourself:

• Do not click links or open attachments in unsolicited messages.
• Do not respond or provide personal information.
• To access or set up your Social Security account, go directly to ssa.gov/myaccount.

Remember, the SSA will never send unsolicited attachments or direct download links.