The Social Security Administration and its Office of the Inspector General warned retirees about scammers using online tactics to steal their personal information.

What did the Social Security Administration OIG say in the warning?

The federal agency stated in a notice that there has been a rise in government imposter scam emails that falsely claim to provide access to a recipient’s Social Security statement. If retirees click the link in the email, it may lead to identity theft, financial loss and compromised data.

Official Social Security messages originate from email addresses ending in “.gov.” The fraudulent emails are crafted to look authentic, using official-looking language, logos, colors and formatting to mislead recipients into clicking links or downloading attachments, per the notice.

The agency also warned retirees that clicking the link may install malware or direct them to fake websites that could steal their personal and financial information.

How do Social Security scams work?

According to Fox, scammers will send messages that appear legitimate by including personal details such as names, partial Social Security numbers and information about benefits. Scammers are likely to use official government caller IDs, emails and texts that resemble those from the Social Security Administration.

Additionally, scammers may use personal information obtained from data breaches. When contacting retirees, they can make false claims appear credible by citing details from the individual’s records.

Here are several warning signs retirees should look out for:

• 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”

What steps can people take to protect themselves?

The agency has provided steps individuals can use to be aware of fraudulent emails and other tactics.

• 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.
• Report suspicious emails immediately.  

“We are seeing a sharp increase in fraudulent emails designed to look like official Social Security Administration communications,” Assistant Inspector General for Audit performing the duties of the Inspector General Michelle L. Anderson said in a notice statement. “These messages are not from Social Security. Anyone who receives one should delete it immediately and report it.”

If someone clicked the link, downloaded an attachment or shared their personal information, here’s how to take action:

• Stop all communication with the suspected scammer.
• Contact financial institutions to protect accounts.
• Report the incident to the SSA OIG at oig.ssa.gov/report.
• File a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
• Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov.
• If financial loss occurs, contact local law enforcement.

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