Social Security Inspector General Warns Public About Phishing E-mails

Patrick P. O'Carroll, Jr., Inspector General of Social Security, is warning citizens about an e-mail scheme involving Social Security and seeking citizens' personal information. Allegations received by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) indicate that the emails appear to come from senders such as "no-reply@ssa.gov," "mailsystem@ssa.gov," and similar addresses. The subject of the emails is "Review annual Social Security statement" and contains a link to the website http://statements.ssa.gov.fawaazr.be.

The website, which is not affiliated with SSA or any U.S. Government entity, is registered in Belgium, and appears to have been taken offline by the Internet domain host, meaning that it does not currently pose a threat. Rather, upon attempting to enter the site, the user now receives a warning that the site has been reported as a suspected phishing site.

While it appears that this particular site has been deactivated, the Inspector General reminds the public to use extreme caution before giving out personal information online. "Any unexpected, unsolicited e-mail asking you for personal information should be viewed with suspicion," said Mr. O'Carroll. "In particular, if you receive any such solicitation that purports to be from SSA, it would be wise to contact SSA or the OIG before responding."

To report suspicious emails and websites, contact the Social Security Fraud Hotline at www.socialsecurity.gov/oig/hotline/, or by phone at 1-800-269-0271 (10 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST). Those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing can call the OIG TTY number at 1-866-501-2101.

Questions about official Social Security communications can be answered by a local Social Security office, or by calling Social Security's toll-free customer service number at 1-800-772-1213 to verify the legitimacy of the employee. Those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing can call Social Security's TTY number at 1-800-325-0778.