The Social Security watchdog recently issued an alert about a new, aggressive scam that is targeting Americans by impersonating federal-agency correspondence. According to the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (OIG), fraudsters are sending emails or letters with subject lines like “Alert: Social Security Account Issues Detected,” claiming the recipient’s Social Security number will be suspended within 24 hours for alleged criminal activity.
“These scams continue to exploit fear and confusion by using official-looking letters and real SSA employee names,” said Michelle L. Anderson, Acting Inspector General. “If you get an unexpected call, text, email, letter, or social media message from SSA OIG or any government agency, pause and think ‘scam’ first.”
The communications often include a fake “Official Document” attachment and encourage the recipient to call a provided number immediately. If answered, a scammer may pretend to be from OIG and pressure you into providing personal or financial information.
While the exact number of attempts isn’t made public, the OIG maintains that the volume of government-impostor scams has been growing. Victims risk identity theft or financial loss if they respond. The OIG advises: stop and think, talk with someone you trust, and report the incident at ssa.gov/scam.
In related coverage, Newsweek described the same scheme and added that more than 70 million Americans receive Social Security benefits, meaning the potential scope of targetable individuals is large.
Given the high-pressure tone of the communications, experts emphasize that no legitimate government agency will suspend your Social Security number at short notice or demand immediate payment via unspecified numbers. The key is to remain calm, verify independently, and refuse to share personal data over unfamiliar calls or emails.
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