...
By Suzanne Blake
Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
A new Social Security scam has been targeting seniors with emails that falsely claim that their Social Security numbers have been involved in criminal activities.
The email goes on to threaten to suspend all benefits unless they act quickly.
Why It Matters
More than 70 million Americans rely on Social Security benefits and are vulnerable to scams threatening their monthly payments.
Read More on U.S.
If seniors engage with the scammer, they are at risk of losing their money and identity to the fraudsters.
What To Know
The emails allege that there is a federal investigation linked to the recipient's Social Security number, according to news station WGAL.
The scam targets recipients' fear of losing their benefits, but the Social Security Administration never sends emails to beneficiaries, only letters. The email also does not come from a .gov address.
Experts say seniors should be aware of scams like this, and that Social Security numbers can never be temporarily suspended.
...
"Scams are attacking our senior population aplenty right now as they know our current administration is forcing them to interact completely online," Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek. "This allows for scammers to take advantage of a population that is truly not astute with computers as the rest of us. This is a tremendous oversight and will come with dire consequences."
When called, the number attached to the fraudulent emails said that the caller's name and number were used in money laundering and drug trafficking, causing the suspension of benefits, according to WGAL.
Scammers who gain the victim's full Social Security number are often able to take the victim's funds and steal the victim's identity.
What People Are Saying
A spokesperson for the SSA Office of the Inspector General told Newsweek: "These are red flags; you can trust that Social Security will never
- Threaten you with arrest or legal action because you don't agree to pay money immediately.
- Suspend your Social Security number.
- Claim to need personal information or payment to activate a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) or other benefit increase.
- Pressure you to take immediate action, including sharing personal information.
- Ask you to pay with gift cards, prepaid debit cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or by mailing cash.
- Threaten to seize your bank account.
- Offer to move your money to a "protected" bank account.
- Demand secrecy.
- Direct message you on social media."
Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: "It's disheartening we continue to see more scams targeting seniors, particularly when it comes to receiving their Social Security benefits. Seniors need to know a few things: Social Security is not going to email you directly from a '.gov' address, and there's no such thing as a 'temporary suspension' of your Social Security number. These are all statements said in an attempt to draw concern from you to contact the source of the email and fall into the rabbit hole the scammers have dug. Do not engage and always delete this content. If you have any legitimate questions about your benefits, always call an office Social Security field office for details."
9i Capital Group CEO Kevin Thompson told Newsweek: "My 78-year-old mother has been hit with multiple attempts the past month and much like I informed her, 'never' click on an email link to go into accounts. My mother contacted a number she thought was the DMV recently and it turned out to be a scammer on the line. It is getting very difficult for seniors to interact because everything you get is either a phishing attempt or spam."
What Happens Next
To protect themselves from scammers, Thompson urged seniors to look to their children or a certified financial professional.
"Seniors need to rely more on their children to help combat these attempts, and if they do not have children, use professionals in their lives, such as their financial advisors or estate trustees, for support," Thompson said.
Update 9/15/25, 5:42 p.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from the SSA Office of the Inspector General.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines