Scammers posing as the Social Security Administration (SSA) are sending emails such as the one shown below in an attempt to lure people into clicking on a malware infected link thinking that they will be provided their annual Social Security statement. The email shown below had the logo of the SSA at the top of the email and looked official, but it is a simple matter to counterfeit the logo. The truth is that the SSA does not send Social Security statements by email and never includes links for downloading.
Here is a copy of the email presently circulating:
This e-mail was sent with high priority.
Your updated Social Security statement is now ready for secure access. For your protection, we strongly recommend viewing your statement using our secure pc app.
Download Now
Thank you,
Social Security Administration..
Please do not reply to this email. If you need assistance, contact us through our official website.”
I have disarmed the “Download Now” link.
TIPS
The first indication that this is a scam is the email address of the sender which had no relationship to the SSA nor did it end in .gov as emails from the SSA would.
The SSA may send you an email reminding you to review your statement or telling you that you have a new message in your My Social Security Account. Your My Social Security Account can be reached through https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount. If you do not already have a My Social Security account, I strongly suggest you get one. You can get one at the same https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount address. Setting up an account has many advantages including additional protection from identity theft.
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