AARP Hearing Center
AARP
Social Security numbers are the skeleton keys to identity theft. And what better way to get someone’s Social Security number than by pretending to be from the Social Security Administration (SSA)?
The SSA’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) recently posted an alert about Social Security impersonators and related scams that involve “the misuse of real Social Security Administration (SSA) and Office of the Inspector General (OIG) employee names, fabricated badge images, and fraudulent social media profiles.”
More Ways to Benefit
- Related Benefit 1
- Related Benefit 2
- Related Benefit 3
- Related Benefit 4
- Related Benefit 5
The scammers are reaching out by text, phone, social media, email and the mail pretending to be real SSA employees. They’re bolstering their fraud with fake credentials and information from legitimate SSA employees’ social media profiles, according to the SSA.
The impostors are aided by artificial intelligence, which they can use to make their communications far more convincing than ever before.
“Scammers’ embrace of AI has made things exponentially worse,” says Shawna Reeves, special projects consultant for Legal Assistance for Seniors in Oakland, California. “Because of AI, scam calls, emails and texts have become more personalized and thus, harder to detect,” she adds.
Warning signs of a Social Security scam
There are a range of Social Security-related scams, but most start when criminals call or send you a text, a letter or a social media message, in which they claim to be officials from the SSA or the SSA’s OIG. They may use the name of an actual SSA employee, as noted above. Then:
- They claim there’s some sort of problem with your accounts, benefits or identity.
- They urge immediate action.
- They request payment by hard-to-trace methods, such as gift cards, gold bars, a wire transfer, cryptocurrency or through a payment app.
Common Social Security scams
- You qualify for a benefit increase. An SSA impostor calls bearing good news — say, an increase in your benefits. To get the extra money, you have to pay a fee or verify your name, date of birth and Social Security number. Armed with those identifiers, scammers can effectively hijack your account by asking the SSA to change the address, phone number, and direct deposit information on your record, thereby diverting your benefits.
- You need to fill out forms to get the yearly COLA increase. Every fall, Social Security announces a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) — in 2026, it is 2.8 percent. These increases are automatically added to your account. You don’t need to fill out forms or provide information to get it.
- Your Social Security number has been suspended. An impersonator tells you that your Social Security number will be suspended and that your benefits will end unless you immediately pay a fee. It’s a fake dilemma; the real SSA wouldn’t threaten you or suspend your Social Security number.
- There’s a problem with your Social Security number. Some scams start as package-delivery or tech-support scams and evolve into SSA scams. Once they have you on the line, they pretend to pass you to a law enforcement agent who then “discovers” a problem in your SSA records.
- Your number was used in a crime. An impersonator claims that your Social Security number has been linked to criminal activity and that you’re in danger of going to jail. “They’ll say, ‘OK, your Social Security number was used to rent a car that was found abandoned in El Paso, Texas, with drugs and blood in it. We’re going to send somebody out to arrest you,” explains Steve Baker, a former Federal Trade Commission official who publishes the Baker Fraud Report newsletter. Once the impersonators have frightened their targets, they’ll sometimes tell them that the only way to avoid arrest is to send money.
- Your bank account is in danger. The impersonator tells you that because your Social Security number has been stolen, your bank accounts are at risk, Baker says. “They’ll say, ‘What we need to do is get all of your money out and put it in a safe account or some sort of government-controlled account.’ ”
Does Social Security call you?
Social Security rarely contacts people out of the blue. It will text you only if you opted to receive notifications that way or to verify your identity when you access your online My Social Security account. And if you have an old My Social Security account, you may receive an email from the SSA informing you of the login change. (These emails should always originate from a “.gov” address.
Social Security will never threaten or pressure you to take immediate action. If you do owe the agency money — for a benefit overpayment, for example — you’ll get an official letter outlining your payment options and appeal rights.
How to protect yourself
Rebecca Rose, spokesperson for the SSA’s OIG, cautions that Social Security impersonators are “constantly evolving and relentless.” Even so, there’s plenty you can do to protect yourself from them:
- Stay calm. Social Security impostors often want to elicit an emotional response, so you’ll be more vulnerable. Hang up the phone, and talk to someone you trust about the situation.
- Be wary of emails. If a link is included, hover over it to reveal the actual destination address. The main part of the address should end with “.gov/” — including the forward slash. If there’s anything between .gov and the slash, the address is fake. The SSA has more information about how to ensure emails are valid here.
- Verify calls. Scammers use “spoofing” technology to trick caller ID or create email addresses that look legitimate.. “Do not click on any texts, emails or respond to any phone calls with people saying they can expediate or do this process for you,” says Amy Nofziger, Senior Director of Fraud Victim Support for the AARP Fraud Watch Network.
- Work with trusted sources. When updating your account to meet new login requirements, follow the steps outlined at login.gov.
- Check your Social Security information regularly. Check your account monthly for any signs of unusual activity, even if you have not started collecting benefits.
- Place alerts. You can take measures to prevent identity theft, such as freezing your credit, placing a fraud alert with the major credit reporting agencies and filing your taxes early before a scammer tries to steal your refund.
- Protect your personal information. There’s no reason to provide your Social Security number or other personal information to someone who contacts you by email. The SSA never requests information that way.
- Don't carry your Social Security card in your wallet. If it gets lost or stolen, you're at risk of identity theft and fraud.
How to report scams
- Notify SSA. If you get an impostor call, email, or text, report it to the SSA using its detailed online form. You can also call Social Security’s fraud hotline at 800-269-0271.
- Report identity theft. If your Social Security number has been stolen, file a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3.gov). Not every complaint leads to enforcement action, but the information can help officials spot trends and, in some cases, identify the criminals.
- For support and guidance, call the free AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 877-908-3360 to speak with trained specialists who can share information on what to do next and how to avoid future scams.
More resources
Social Security has a printable pamphlet about identity theft and stolen Social Security numbers, as well as information online about scams.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has information on credit reports and scores, including fraud protection.
This story has been updated with expert advice and new information about the SSA.
AARP Membership
Join AARP for only $15 per year with automatic renewal. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of benefits, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP The Magazine.
More from AARP