The government and the United States Social Security Administration (SSA) have issued an official announcement addressed to millions of citizens. The message warns about a serious problem that can significantly affect you, and ignoring it can bring real consequences.
The Administration has detected an increase in fraud attempts, in which criminals pose as if they work for the SSA, sending emails, calls, or messages saying that your Social Security number is suspended or blocked.
These fake communications usually include threats, pressure to act immediately, and suggestions for payments with prepaid cards, cryptocurrencies, or gifts. The official message from the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) warns that the fraud alert is being used to deceive people.
If you have a fraud alert on your credit report, pay attention: SSA forbids you from doing this
If your credit report contains a fraud alert, you won't be able to create or log in to your my Social Security account normally. According to the official explanation from SSA, there are two ways: ask your official identity provider to remove that alert.
Alternatively, go in person to a local office with an appointment to open your account without removing the alert. In addition, you could use the ID.me identification service, which allows you to create the account without needing to remove the alert.
The announcement emphasizes that these frauds take advantage of the fear of losing benefits or seeing your reported credit affected, and the goal is for you to respond quickly and make mistakes. The SSA insists on not sharing sensitive data or making payments through insecure channels. In addition, they explain that if your fraud alert blocks your access, it is a measure established to protect you, not a system error.
This is how you can solve it and avoid bigger problems
First, if you receive a suspicious notice: ignore it, hang up, or delete the message. Then, apply these practical solutions to restore your account easily: remove the fraud alert through your identity provider or go in person to an office with an appointment.
You can use ID.me to create access without removing the alert, keeping the protection active. Check your credit report with the main agencies and add alerts only if you were truly a victim. Take security measures, such as a strong password and two-factor authentication in my Social Security, and follow the official advice for user facilities.