Fraudsters are using the 2027 Social Security raise as bait, promising a bigger check for a fee. The Social Security Administration says no one can sell you that.
Scammers are telling people they can pay to boost their Social Security checks, using the 2027 cost-of-living raise as the hook. The Social Security Administration (SSA) says the offer is fake. The raise, known as the COLA, is added automatically. Nothing needs to be activated, and no one can sell you a bigger benefit.
A warning from SSA's Office of the Inspector General says scammers are reaching people by unsolicited calls, ads, letters, texts and social media messages. Some promise to "boost," "unlock" or "maximize" your benefits for an upfront fee. Others pretend to be SSA and say you must take a step to receive your increase.
The goal is money or information. Victims may be asked to pay, or sent to official-looking websites and forms built to collect personal details and bank account numbers.
Paying a stranger costs you real money. Handing over personal details can put your identity and bank account at risk. Older people and those less comfortable with digital technology may find a fake message harder to spot.
Looking real is what these scammers do best. They can spoof government phone numbers, borrow the names of actual government employees and send documents that look official. A familiar number or name proves nothing.
SSA lists these as the usual red flags:
If you simply receive your benefit, your COLA will be applied without any action from you. Under federal law, your amount depends on your earnings record and other factors, so it cannot be negotiated over the phone. SSA does not offer to raise benefits in exchange for money.
That does not mean every call from SSA is fake. Employees may phone people who recently applied for benefits, who already receive payments and need a record updated, or who asked for a call. A cold offer of a higher payout is not one of those reasons.
The steps in the alert box above cover what to do. If an unexpected offer asks for money or information, give them nothing, hang up and call SSA directly at 1-800-772-1213. Families who help manage a relative's money may want to share this warning with them.
No one can sell you a bigger Social Security check, and the 2027 COLA needs no activation, so give nothing to anyone who says otherwise.
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