Your 2026 Social Security Check Is on the Way. Here’s How to Stop Fraudsters From Getting It First
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Retirement Social Security Share Share Close Mail Page URL https://money.com/protect-social-security-check-from-fraud-2026/ Link copied! Your 2026 Social Security Check Is on the Way. Here’s How to Stop Fraudsters From Getting It First By: Marc Guberti Marc Guberti Marc Guberti is a personal finance writer who hosts Breakthrough Success, a podcast where he teaches listeners how to grow their businesses and achieve personal transformations. Has also written: 8 Secrets for a Happy Retirement Financial Experts Reveal a Major Mistake Retirees Make The Retirement Withdrawal Rule That Can Quietly Backfire After Age 72 How to Build Retirement Savings at 55 — Even If You’re Behind The Sneaky Social Security Scams Targeting Retirees in 2026 — And the One Rule That Keeps You Safe See full bio Published: Mar 6, 2026 4 min read Getty Images Once you contribute money to Social Security for years, your job isn’t completely over when you start receiving checks. You now need to safeguard your benefits from scammers.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) warns of scammers who will impersonate it or other government agencies to get a hold of your sensitive information or money. This simple checklist can go a long way in protecting the money you've earned. Must ReadExperts are Bullish on Gold — Here's How to Get In3 Ways You Can Make Cash on Your CouchThese Are the Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Right Now How scammers are trying to steal Social Security Social Security thieves typically aren’t knocking on doors. Since most benefits are deposited electronically, cyber criminals have turned to the digital world to take over Social Security accounts and redirect checks, or steal your personal information to try to access your money in other ways. These methods they use include: Setting up a fraudulent "my Social Security" account in someone else’s name and changing the direct deposit details, or breaking into an existing account Sending phishing emails and fake web pages designed to capture login details and personal data Sending text messages or emails or making phone calls urging you to act, like asking you to send money or share your personal information Many Social Security scammers also create a false sense of urgency in their phishing emails, fraudulent text messages and phone calls. Urgency can cause people to act quickly without doing much thinking, which makes it easier to fall for scams. It has become such a big problem that Social Security has a webpage entitled "Protect Yourself from Social Security Scams" that highlights the different ways to keep hackers away from your benefits. Social Security also included an example of a scam email thieves use to obtain sensitive information. Vet bills can cost thousands — see what pet insurance might cost you How to protect yourself Here’s an overview of the steps you can use to stay safe. 1. Claim your Social Security account The first step is to create a "my Social Security" account so you can check for suspicious activity and ensure no one else has taken control of your account. Make sure you use the official website to create your account. Still paying for subscriptions you don’t use? See what you could cancel 2. Guard your direct deposit information You will have to provide your bank account and routing number when designating where the checks go. Make sure you use a reliable bank that has good fraud-monitoring tools and alerts. That way, you can receive immediate notifications if something is suspicious, and you can take quick action. 3. Do a monthly benefit check-up A simple 10-minute routine can give you peace of mind when it comes to your Social Security benefits. Checking your monthly bank statement is a great starting point, but you can also log into your Social Security account each month to ensure that your direct deposit details haven’t changed. Still paying for subscriptions you don’t use? See what you could cancel 4. Quickly report issues Anyone who is a victim of a Social Security scam should report the fraudulent activity to Social Security and start the process of correcting payments. You should also contact your bank or credit union and have them connect you with fraud support. If you are a victim of identity theft, you should consider fraud alerts or credit freezes with the three major credit bureaus as protective measures. You can report any scams directly on Social Security’s website at ssa.gov/scam. You can also report fraud at oig.ssa.gov/report. Must ReadExperts are Bullish on Gold — Here's How to Get In3 Ways You Can Make Cash on Your CouchThese Are the Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Right Now