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I received E mail from SS to set up digital account. Is this a scam or has SS moved away from paper mailings. I haven't needed their service in double digit years,
Hey @Derf- Try entering the exact email address into a search engine- Google, DuckDuckGo- whatever you use- and see if anything suspicious turns up.
Also, suggest you change post from Off Topic to "Other Investing"- you'll get a lot more exposure and it surely qualifies as a legitimate "Other Investing" question.
Personal note: Our house has 3 or so a year with similar messaging. Electronic trash bin is next step. Are you able to provide the sender email address to us? A search of the address will generally reveal a lot of info.
--- Yes, this is likely a scam. The Social Security Administration (SSA) does not send unsolicited emails with attachments that claim you need to download a "security update" or "statement" to set up an account. These emails are phishing attempts designed to trick you into downloading malware that gives scammers access to your computer and personal information.
Delete the email: Do not click any links or open any attachments.
Never download attachments: Real government agencies typically communicate sensitive information via paper mail, not email attachments.
Look for tell-tale signs: Scam emails often have deceptive sender addresses that lack the ".gov" domain or use urgent language to pressure you into acting quickly.
Go directly to the source: If you want to check your account, go directly to the official SSA website by typing the address into your browser instead of using a link in an email.
Report the email: You can forward the scam email to the SSA Office of the Inspector General at [email protected].
SS wants you to set up an online account so they have a pretext not to send you anything via paper snailmail anymore. That's what this smells like to me. I know for a fact that was their policy, going back a number of years, even before the Orange Criminal's first term. I would not be alarmed, then. But I'd never, ever use Google for anything, either. @hank and I have shared that we use the BRAVE browser. Security and protection of your personal details is ostensibly a higher priority with BRAVE.
@catch22 Thanks for all that info. I copied & paste the link via Duck Duck go & came up with what I posted. That was from another site. Anyhow it was put in the trash.
. The email address [email protected] is one of the legitimate sources of SSA emails. After reading down the page I came across a site that says it's no GOOD.
I got the same email. Since I already have both login.gov and id.me accounts, I didn't worry about the email. I just logged into ssa.gov and looked around. I already set my communications to non-paper and didn't see anything new or needing attention so I logged out. I think the email is probably legit and was sent broadly just to let AI pretend the shutdown government cares.
Update: We both received a message from SS as noted by @Derf late this afternoon. I've with others and the same for them. I don't know if this is the same text body that Derf had. He would have to verify the below:
***** As Congress works to pass a new federal budget, the government is currently shut down. We know this raises questions. We have answers to the most commonly asked questions about how the shutdown impacts you.
Will the Shutdown Affect Payments?
No, it will not affect payments. If you receive benefits, payments will continue without interruption. You will receive your benefits on time, with no changes to payment dates.
What Services Are Available Online?
We are constantly expanding our online services to give you freedom and control when conducting business with Social Security. Today, you can use your personal my Social Security account to:
Request a replacement Social Security or Medicare card Access benefit verification letters Apply for benefits Check your application or appeal status Access your Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) notice up to three weeks earlier than by mail (if you sign up for digital notices before November 20) Change your address Set up or change direct deposit Print your 1099 View your latest statement Review your earning history Are Local Offices Open?
Offices are open, but not all in-person services are available. We encourage you to use your personal my Social Security account to easily access SSA services and benefits online. Log in to your existing account to access these services.
For more information, please check out this helpful blog post or visit our website for shutdown information.
Federal Government Shutdown Information *****
Some additional information from me, as I checked the electronic sender details: The IP address of the sender = 66.179.16.160
--- The IP address 66.179.16.160 is owned by Amazon.com, Inc., operating under the autonomous system number AS16509. While this IP address is registered to Amazon, it does not reveal the identity of an end-user. The address likely belongs to Amazon's cloud infrastructure and is assigned to one of their clients. Information about who might be using this specific address is not publicly available.
LASTLY, one may suspect the message(s) were not intended; and perhaps related to the Amazon and their 'technical' problems during the previous 24 period. @Anna log in methods are important. Thank you, Anna.
Comments
Try entering the exact email address into a search engine- Google, DuckDuckGo- whatever you use- and see if anything suspicious turns up.
Also, suggest you change post from Off Topic to "Other Investing"- you'll get a lot more exposure and it surely qualifies as a legitimate "Other Investing" question.
Personal note: Our house has 3 or so a year with similar messaging. Electronic trash bin is next step. Are you able to provide the sender email address to us? A search of the address will generally reveal a lot of info.
--- Yes, this is likely a scam. The Social Security Administration (SSA) does not send unsolicited emails with attachments that claim you need to download a "security update" or "statement" to set up an account. These emails are phishing attempts designed to trick you into downloading malware that gives scammers access to your computer and personal information.
Delete the email: Do not click any links or open any attachments.
Never download attachments: Real government agencies typically communicate sensitive information via paper mail, not email attachments.
Look for tell-tale signs: Scam emails often have deceptive sender addresses that lack the ".gov" domain or use urgent language to pressure you into acting quickly.
Go directly to the source: If you want to check your account, go directly to the official SSA website by typing the address into your browser instead of using a link in an email.
Report the email: You can forward the scam email to the SSA Office of the Inspector General at [email protected].
. The email address [email protected] is one of the legitimate sources of SSA emails.
The proper way to sign up is via "My Social Security" with Login.gov (simpler) or ID.me (more difficult).
Login.gov also allows access to many government accounts, but not IRS yet.
I use Login.gov.
After reading down the page I came across a site that says it's no GOOD.
***** As Congress works to pass a new federal budget, the government is currently shut down. We know this raises questions. We have answers to the most commonly asked questions about how the shutdown impacts you.
Will the Shutdown Affect Payments?
No, it will not affect payments. If you receive benefits, payments will continue without interruption. You will receive your benefits on time, with no changes to payment dates.
What Services Are Available Online?
We are constantly expanding our online services to give you freedom and control when conducting business with Social Security. Today, you can use your personal my Social Security account to:
Request a replacement Social Security or Medicare card
Access benefit verification letters
Apply for benefits
Check your application or appeal status
Access your Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) notice up to three weeks earlier than by mail (if you sign up for digital notices before November 20)
Change your address
Set up or change direct deposit
Print your 1099
View your latest statement
Review your earning history
Are Local Offices Open?
Offices are open, but not all in-person services are available. We encourage you to use your personal my Social Security account to easily access SSA services and benefits online. Log in to your existing account to access these services.
For more information, please check out this helpful blog post or visit our website for shutdown information.
Federal Government Shutdown Information *****
Some additional information from me, as I checked the electronic sender details: The IP address of the sender = 66.179.16.160
--- The IP address 66.179.16.160 is owned by Amazon.com, Inc., operating under the autonomous system number AS16509.
While this IP address is registered to Amazon, it does not reveal the identity of an end-user. The address likely belongs to Amazon's cloud infrastructure and is assigned to one of their clients. Information about who might be using this specific address is not publicly available.
LASTLY, one may suspect the message(s) were not intended; and perhaps related to the Amazon and their 'technical' problems during the previous 24 period. @Anna log in methods are important. Thank you, Anna.