Fake Social Security COLA or benefit-increase fee
After Social Security announced the 2027 cost-of-living adjustment, scammers began contacting people and offering to 'activate' the increase or raise payments for a fee. The COLA is automatic. You do not need to register or pay to receive it.
How it works
On October 14, 2026, Social Security announced a 3.6 percent cost-of-living adjustment for 2027, covering 76 million Americans. Soon after, SSA's inspector general warned that scammers would use that news. They may call, text, email, message you on social media, or send a letter. They pretend to be from Social Security or another agency and say they can increase your payment or turn on the COLA. They may ask you to pay a fee, change your direct deposit, share account details, click a lookalike website, or download software. Some use real employee names or fake documents to seem official.
Red flags
- Someone says you must register, pay, or 'activate' your cost-of-living increase.
- They ask you to change direct deposit or share bank or Social Security details.
- The contact arrives by phone, text, email, social media, or an unexpected letter.
- They send a link or ask you to install software.
What to do
- Do not pay a fee or change your deposit information because of an unexpected message.
- Remember that the COLA is applied automatically.
- Check your benefits in a my Social Security account at ssa.gov/myaccount, or call 1-800-772-1213.
- Report the contact at ssa.gov/scam or by calling the SSA OIG Fraud Hotline at 1-800-269-0271 (weekdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET). You can also report at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Where to report it
- reportfraud.ftc.gov — the FTC's report form.
- ic3.gov — the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.