Bogus Payment Boosts – The Social Security Scam Hackers Use to Get Your Details

Many people across the U.S. rely on Social Security payments to get by. Unfortunately, they’re also seen as prime targets for scammers, who make use of an arsenal of Social Security scam techniques to trick their victims.

The “bogus payment boost” scam is a common go-to method for these fraudsters.

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How Do Bogus Payment Boost Scams Work?

The bogus payment boost scam is quite simple in theory. The scammers will send their victim a message (like an email or text) or even call them, claiming that their Social Security payments are set to increase or that they’re entitled to a one-off bonus payment, which later turns out to be false.

The scammers will then ask their victim to submit some personal information before they can receive their payment boost. Over the phone or in a message, they’ll ask for name, address, Social Security number, and possibly even bank account details.

Once the victim has given up their details, the scammer can simply vanish and use that info for credit fraud or other sorts of scams. Meanwhile, victims are often left confused and sometimes completely unaware that they’ve been tricked.

The reason why this scam (and other Social Security scams) tends to work so well is because it preys on a vulnerable audience. People will naturally be excited about the prospect of an increase in their Social Security payments, making them more willing to comply with the scammer’s demands.

Red Flags You Shouldn’t Ignore

Requests for Your Personal Information

The Social Security Administration will sometimes increase benefit values, but it won’t ask you for any kind of personal information before you’re allowed to receive them. The boost happens automatically. In fact, the SSA will never ask you for personal details up-front over the phone or via a message, so that’s always a red flag.

Claims That Seem Too Good to Be True

While benefits do increase sometimes, it’s often not by exceptionally large amounts. If you’re being told that your benefits are about to go up by several hundred dollars, for example, or that you’re owed some sort of four-figure “back payment,” it’s almost certainly too good to be true. Don’t be fooled by claims designed to trick you.

Typos or Mistakes

Scammers often make mistakes in their messages or emails, as they may not speak English natively or to a high level. You might spot obvious typos, random capitalizations, or other strange errors in the texts they send. That’s usually a warning sign, as official bodies like the SSA tend not to make such basic mistakes.

How to Stay Safe from Bogus Payment Boost Scams

Never give away any personal details over the phone.
Check your official SSA account or call them to confirm any payment changes.
Don’t be fooled by claims of huge payment boosts or money you’re owed.
Avoid clicking any links in emails or texts you receive.

Report the Scam

You can click the “Report Scams” button on this official SSA page to report suspected scams. You can also:

Report to the FTC.
Report to the FBI Internet Complaints Center.

How to Protect Yourself More

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Read up on other Social Security scams to learn about other dangers and how to avoid them.

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