In short
Most common fake: Your Social Security number has been suspended because of suspicious activity.
Safest check: Hang up and call Social Security yourself using the phone number listed on ssa.gov.
Where to report it: Report the scam to the Social Security Office of the Inspector General using its online scam form.
What Social Security (SSA) says
Social Security says it will never tell you your Social Security number is suspended, threaten you with arrest, demand an immediate payment, or ask for gift cards, cash or card numbers over the phone. It does not ask for sensitive details by email, text or social media, and for a problem with your number or account it normally sends a letter. It may phone you if you recently applied, asked for a call back or have ongoing business with it. Source: Social Security Administration
Common fake Social Security (SSA) messages
These are the 5 shapes a fake Social Security (SSA) message usually takes. They are listed in the order we see them most often, and none of them is something Social Security (SSA) itself does.
- Your Social Security number has been suspended because of suspicious activity
- Pay a fine now by gift card, crypto or wire transfer or face arrest
- Email saying your Social Security statement is ready to download
- Letter or text claiming your benefits will be stopped unless you call a number
- Caller who transfers you to a fake police officer or investigator and asks you to keep it secret
Social Security (SSA)'s real web addresses
Genuine Social Security (SSA) links and emails use these domains. Look at the part just before the first single slash: ssa.gov is real, but ssa-support-center.com or ssa.gov.account-check.top are not.
- ssa.gov
- oig.ssa.gov
Scammers can also hide a fake link behind real-looking text. Learn how to read a web address.
How to check a Social Security (SSA) message safely
- Hang up and call Social Security yourself using the phone number listed on ssa.gov
- Sign in to your account by typing ssa.gov/myaccount into your browser instead of using an email link
- Remember that SSA emails only come from addresses ending in .gov
- Treat any demand for gift cards, crypto, wire transfers or cash as a scam
How to report a fake Social Security (SSA) message
- Report the scam to the Social Security Office of the Inspector General using its online scam form. Official details on oig.ssa.gov
- Report it to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Official details on consumer.ftc.gov
- If you lost money or clicked a link in a fake SSA email, also report it to the FBI at ic3.gov. Official details on oig.ssa.gov
Also report it to the official fraud service in your country. See the worldwide list.
If you clicked, paid or shared details
Act quickly. It makes a difference.
- If you entered card or bank details, call your bank now using the number on your card, and ask them to block the card.
- If you entered a password, change it at ssa.gov, typed into your browser yourself, and turn on two-step verification. Do not use any link from the message.
- Expect follow-up calls or messages pretending to help, sometimes claiming to be from Social Security (SSA) security. Never share one-time codes and never move money to a "safe account".
- Report the scam to the Social Security Office of the Inspector General using its online scam form, then delete the message.
More help: Phishing links and fake login pages and what to do after a scam.
How to protect yourself next time
Use a password manager
It only fills in your password on the real website, so a look-alike login page gets nothing. It also makes a different password for every account, so one leak doesn't open the rest.
Free: Bitwarden has a free plan, and even the password manager built into your phone or browser beats reusing one password everywhere.
- NordPass Partner link Password manager with a free plan and a family plan for up to six people.
Turn on two-step verification, ideally with a security key
With two-step verification, a stolen password isn't enough on its own. A hardware security key goes further: it simply doesn't work on a fake site, so it can't be phished.
Free: Two-step verification is free. Switch it on in the security settings of your email, bank, WhatsApp and social media accounts today.
- YubiKey (Yubico) Partner link A small USB or NFC key you tap when you log in. It will not work on a fake site.
Compare the tools that help, and what each costs
Links marked Partner link may earn us a commission, at no cost to you. It never changes our advice, and the free option always comes first. Affiliate disclosure.
Questions people ask
Does Social Security (SSA) send messages asking for payment or personal details?
Social Security says it will never tell you your Social Security number is suspended, threaten you with arrest, demand an immediate payment, or ask for gift cards, cash or card numbers over the phone. It does not ask for sensitive details by email, text or social media, and for a problem with your number or account it normally sends a letter. It may phone you if you recently applied, asked for a call back or have ongoing business with it.
How can I check if a Social Security (SSA) message is real?
Hang up and call Social Security yourself using the phone number listed on ssa.gov. Sign in to your account by typing ssa.gov/myaccount into your browser instead of using an email link. Remember that SSA emails only come from addresses ending in .gov. Treat any demand for gift cards, crypto, wire transfers or cash as a scam.
How do I report a fake Social Security (SSA) message?
Report the scam to the Social Security Office of the Inspector General using its online scam form. Report it to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If you lost money or clicked a link in a fake SSA email, also report it to the FBI at ic3.gov.
I clicked a link in a fake Social Security (SSA) message but did not enter anything. Am I at risk?
Opening a link is far less serious than filling one in. Close it, and if you need your account, reach it by typing ssa.gov yourself. Clicking does tell the sender your number is live, so expect more messages for a while: report the scam to the social security office of the inspector general using its online scam form.
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Official sources and further reading
We check our pages against official advice from the organisations themselves and from government agencies.
- Protect Yourself from Social Security Scams (Social Security Administration)
- Social Security and OIG Partner for the Seventh Annual National Slam the Scam Day (Social Security Administration)
- SSA Office of the Inspector General Warns Public of Surge in Fraudulent Social Security Statement Emails (SSA Office of the Inspector General)
- How To Avoid a Government Impersonation Scam (Federal Trade Commission)