Social Security imposter using a real employee name and fake badge
Scammers have been using real Social Security or OIG employee names, fake badge photos, and social media profiles to look official. A real government employee will not send a badge picture or demand payment by gift card, gold, or crypto.
How it works
You may be contacted by phone, text, email, social media, or mail. The person uses the name of a real SSA or OIG employee and may send a photo of a badge or credential. They claim there is a problem with your Social Security number, benefits, or identity and push you to act immediately. They then demand payment by gift cards, gold bars, cryptocurrency, wire, cash, or another hard-to-trace method. Federal agencies warned about this wave in April 2026. No legitimate government employee will send badge photos or ask for those payment methods.
Red flags
- The contact is unexpected and includes a badge photo or a copied official name.
- They say there is a problem with your Social Security number or benefits.
- They demand immediate payment by gift card, gold, crypto, wire, or cash.
- They threaten arrest or legal action if you do not comply.
What to do
- Ignore the message or call, and do not send money or documents.
- If you need to check your benefits, sign in at ssa.gov/myaccount or call SSA at 1-800-772-1213.
- Report fake social media profiles to the platform.
- Report the scam at oig.ssa.gov/report, ic3.gov, and reportfraud.ftc.gov. Tell your bank if you paid or shared account information.
Where to report it
- reportfraud.ftc.gov — the FTC's report form.
- ic3.gov — the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.