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The Office of the Inspector General of the Social Security Administration (SSA) issued a public alert warning about a wave of fraudulent emails in which criminals impersonate the agency to steal personal information and money from beneficiaries.
Fraudulent emails mimic the format, logos, colors, and official language of the SSA, but they come from domains that do not end in ".gov".
According to the alert, scammers are sending messages that appear to be from Social Security and include a link asking the person to download their statement.
"Although these emails appear to be from the SSA, they are designed to deceive you and prompt you to click on the links, either to access your computer or your personal information," warned Michelle L. Anderson, Assistant Inspector General for Audit at the OIG.
The official also noted: "We are seeing a significant increase in fraudulent emails designed to look like official communications from the Social Security Administration. These messages are not from Social Security. Anyone who receives one should delete it immediately and report it."
Scammers have escalated their tactics: they may use the name of a person who actually works at the agency and send a photograph or an attachment as "proof" of identity.
Additionally, the OIG warns that criminals are incorporating artificial intelligence as an additional tactic to make their communications more convincing and difficult to detect.
Four signs to identify a scam
There are four basic signs that identify a scam: the scammer pretends to be from a known organization to gain trust; claims that there is a problem or a prize; pressures for immediate action; and demands payment in a specific form.
The Social Security Administration clarifies that it never threatens arrest or legal action for not making immediate payments, never suspends Social Security numbers, and never requests payments via gift cards, prepaid debit cards, bank transfers, cryptocurrencies, or cash through the mail, nor does it ever offer to move money to a "protected" bank account.
The agency also does not send direct messages through social media nor require confidentiality regarding any communication.
"Scammers create fake pages and accounts on social media using images and jargon associated with Social Security. This helps them appear as if they are affiliated with or endorsed by Social Security. The fake pages may seem to be from the agency or from Social Security and OIG officials," warns the official statement.
In the event of any suspicious email, the recommendation is to remain calm, avoid clicking on any links or opening attachments, and report the scam to the Office of the Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov/espanol.
The authorities recommend following the advice of the Social Security Administration and OIG on LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), and Facebook, or subscribing to receive email alerts.
In 2025, the Federal Trade Commission received over 330,000 complaints about scams impersonating government agencies, a 25% increase from the previous year, with the SSA being one of the most frequently imitated agencies by criminals.
Another scam: criminals impersonate police officers and demand money
Last week, the Plantation Police Department in Broward County issued an urgent alert about an active phone scam in which criminals impersonate their officers to demand money from residents of South Florida.
Scammers use a technique known as "spoofing" to fake the official number of the Department, so that the call appears on the caller ID as if it is coming from the actual Police line.
However, the impersonation is not limited to numbers: criminals also use the names of real officials from the department to lend greater credibility to their threats, authorities confirmed.
The tactic consists of warning victims that they will be arrested if they do not make a money transfer immediately.
The Department was unequivocal in its official statement: "The Plantation Police Department will NEVER call you to demand payment or request money transfers to avoid arrest."
The authorities also clarified that they do not accept payments "through bank transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrencies," and that "legitimate law enforcement matters are handled in person or through official court processes, never over the phone with demands for payment."
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