ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Criminals are increasingly impersonating government agencies like the Social Security Administration to try to defraud you. Scam artists online use so-called “phishing” schemes, usually through email, to trick millions of people each year into giving up personal information or money.
At VERIFY, we’re dedicated to helping you figure out what’s true and false.
One of the top questions we get is whether an email a viewer has received is a scam. Some scam emails can look legitimate, but there are ways to figure out for yourself if an email is fake.
Tiffany P. recently contacted VERIFY after receiving an email claiming she needed to click a link to create a new account to continue accessing her Social Security online services. She worried it might be malicious.
THE QUESTION
Are emails saying you need to create a new login to continue accessing Social Security services online real?
THE SOURCES
- Social Security Administration (SSA)
- Patti Patterson, SSA Regional Communications Director
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
- Better Business Bureau (BBB)
THE ANSWER
Yes, emails saying you need to create a new login to continue accessing Social Security services online are real.
WHAT WE FOUND
The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced in July changes that will impact the way recipients access their My Social Security account online.
People will no longer be able to sign in to their My Social Security account with their username and password. Instead, SSA says you will need to create an ID.me or Login.gov account, which are the Credential Service Providers that Social Security accepts.
- Login.gov is a U.S. government sign-in service for the public to access government websites
- ID.me is a single sign-on provider that meets the U.S. government's online identity proofing and authentication requirements
According to the SSA, this transition will provide enhanced online security to protect against identity theft.
A spokesperson for the agency confirmed with 10 Tampa Bay that emails are being sent to recipients who created an online account with Social Security prior to Sept. 18, 2021, that uses a sign-in with a username versus their email address.
The accounts will be retired starting in September.
The email includes a link to sign in to your account. If you are unsure of clicking a link in an email you didn’t expect to get, you should contact the company or agency directly using an email or phone number you know is real.
Because scammers can pose as legitimate businesses or agencies, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), be sure to double-check the sender’s email address. The email VERIFY viewer Tiffany P. received came from subscription.services@subscriptions.ssa.gov.
On its website, the SSA says it will only contact you from the following email addresses, which includes the one Tiffany received:
You should never click any links in a suspicious email or message. You can report a suspicious email or link to the Office of the Inspector General’s website or by calling the fraud hotline at 1-800-269-0271.
The VERIFY team works to separate fact from fiction so that you can understand what is true and false. Please consider subscribing to our daily newsletter, text alerts and our YouTube channel. You can also follow us on Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. Learn More »