A real review deserves your attention. A fake one deserves none. Here’s how to tell the difference.
Short answerSocial Security scams often pretend your disability benefits are in danger so you’ll act before you think. Social Security will never threaten to stop your benefits unless you pay, ask for gift cards or cryptocurrency, or charge you to get a benefit increase. If a call, text, email, or letter pressures you to act immediately, stop. Check it through your my Social Security account or a phone number you already know is real. |
Key Takeaways
|
If you depend on disability benefits, a message saying those benefits are at risk is designed to hit hard, and scammers know it. This month we explained that a real disability review is a warning light, not a verdict. Social Security scams use the same fear with none of the truth. Knowing the difference protects your money, your identity, and the benefits you’ve worked hard to secure.
What do Social Security scams look like right now?
Most Social Security scams follow one playbook: create fear, demand speed, and ask for money or personal information. On September 16, Social Security warned that scammers continue to impersonate government offices, threaten loss of benefits, and pressure people to share personal information or send money quickly.
These scams can arrive in any form: a phone call, text, email, social media message, or even a letter. Some scammers use the real names of Social Security employees. Others fake caller ID so the call appears to come from a government number, or claim they’re transferring you to a law enforcement officer. Social Security has also warned that scammers are now using artificial intelligence to make their tricks more convincing.
The losses are real. People reported losing about $920 million to government impersonators in 2025, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
Why do scammers target people on disability benefits?
Scammers target people on disability benefits because a threat to those benefits feels like a threat to everything. When your monthly income depends on a single payment, “your benefits will be suspended” is the kind of message that makes people act first and think later. That is exactly the reaction scammers are counting on.
The timing matters too. Social Security will announce the 2027 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) on October 14. News about benefit changes gives scammers a believable excuse to call.
What will Social Security never do?
Social Security will never threaten, scare, or pressure you into immediate action. According to Social Security and its Office of the Inspector General, the agency will never:
- Threaten to suspend your benefits, your Social Security number, or your account unless you pay
- Threaten arrest or legal action
- Ask for payment by gift card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency, prepaid debit card, gold, or mailed cash
- Promise a benefit increase or approval in exchange for money or information
- Ask you to move your money to “protect” it
- Ask you to keep the conversation secret
- Email you official letters that contain your personal information
| Real Social Security contact | Scam | |
| How problems are raised | Usually by mailed letter | Unexpected call, text, email, or social media message |
| Tone | Explains the issue and your rights | Threatens, rushes, or scares you |
| Payment | A mailed letter with payment options and appeal rights | Gift cards, wire transfers, crypto, cash, or gold |
| Benefit increases | COLA applied automatically | “Pay a fee” or “verify your info” to get your increase |
| Secrecy | Never asks you to keep it quiet | Tells you not to tell anyone |
| Where to verify | Your my Social Security account or SSA’s official number | A phone number or link the contact gives you |
How can you tell if a Social Security review letter is real?
A real Social Security review letter asks you to complete a report about your health and daily life. It does not ask you to pay anything to keep your benefits. If you receive a review notice, you can confirm it by logging in to your my Social Security account or calling Social Security at a number you find yourself, never the one in the message.
Real reviews exist, and ignoring one can put your benefits at risk. Our guide to what happens during a disability review walks through what a real one looks like. A real review asks for information about your condition. A scam asks for money, account access, or secrecy.
Not sure that review letter is real?Before you respond to any notice about your disability benefits, let us take a look. Tucker Disability Law will review it for free and tell you whether it’s legitimate and what, if anything, you need to do.
|
Can scammers impersonate your long-term disability insurance company?
Yes. The same tactics work with private insurance. A caller claiming to be from your long-term disability insurer might say there’s a problem with your claim and ask for your Social Security number, bank details, or a payment to “keep your benefits active.”
Your insurer does contact claimants during reviews, so a call alone isn’t a red flag. The rule is the same as with Social Security: don’t give information to anyone who contacts you first. Hang up and call your insurer at the number on your policy documents or earlier claim letters. Don’t use a number the caller provides.
What should you do if you think you’ve been targeted?
If you think a Social Security scam has targeted you, stop all contact and report it. Here’s what to do:
- Hang up or don’t respond. Don’t click links, open attachments, or call back numbers from the message.
- Check through official channels. Log in to your my Social Security account or call a number you already know is real.
- Report it to Social Security’s Office of the Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov.
- If you shared personal information, visit IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan and change any compromised passwords.
- If you lost money, contact your bank right away and report the loss to local law enforcement.
Frequently Asked QuestionsWill Social Security ever call me?Yes. Social Security does call people who have recently applied for benefits, need to update their record, or requested a call. But a real Social Security employee will never threaten you, demand immediate payment, or ask for gift cards or cryptocurrency. Can Social Security suspend my benefits if I don’t pay right away?No. Any message saying your benefits will be suspended unless you pay immediately is a scam. If you truly owe Social Security money, the agency mails you a letter explaining your payment options and your right to appeal. Do I need to do anything to get the 2027 COLA?No. The cost-of-living adjustment is applied to your benefits automatically. Anyone who asks for personal information or a fee to “activate” your COLA is running a scam. How can I tell if a Social Security review letter is real?A real review letter asks for information about your health and daily life, and it never demands payment by gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency. To confirm, log in to your my Social Security account or call Social Security at a number you find yourself, not one printed in a suspicious letter. Does Social Security send emails?Social Security may send emails, but official messages come from addresses ending in “.gov.” Social Security will never email you official letters or reports containing your personal information. Delete unexpected emails with attachments or download links. What if someone calls claiming to be my disability insurance company?Don’t share personal or financial information with anyone who calls you first. Hang up and call your insurer using the number on your policy documents or earlier claim letters to check whether the contact was real. Where do I report a Social Security scam?Report Social Security scams to the Office of the Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov. You can also report to the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov, and to IdentityTheft.gov if your personal information was exposed. |
Your benefits are worth protecting from every threat.Whether it’s a real review or a suspicious letter, you don’t have to figure it out alone. If something about your disability benefits doesn’t look right, reach out to Tucker Disability Law before you respond.
We Never Give Up.™ |