Category
UncategorizedJoin thousands of security professionals who receive Craig Peterson's Insider Show Notes and cybersecurity updates.
Eight federal programs are abandoning phone and paper — here's how to protect your benefits from the scammers already targeting the transition
Starting in 2026, eight federal programs including Social Security, Medicare, and SNAP are going online-only. No more paper forms for most services. Fewer phone options. If you want to manage your benefits, you'll need internet access and email. And scammers know it. They're already sending waves of fake emails claiming your benefits are suspended, your account needs verification, or there's unusual activity detected. One wrong click doesn't just compromise your email — it can redirect your monthly Social Security payments and lock you out of the benefits you spent a lifetime earning.
The federal government is pushing eight major programs toward digital-first service delivery. This means many services that used to be available by mail or phone will now require internet access and an online account.
Programs affected:
You'll need an email address and internet access to manage most services. Some phone support will remain for emergencies, but routine matters will require logging into your account online.
Why this matters for retirees: If you don't have an online Social Security account yet, you'll need to create one. And scammers know that millions of people are doing exactly that right now. That's why the fake emails are flooding inboxes.
Scammers are smart. They know people are confused about the online-only transition. They know many retirees are creating Social Security and Medicare accounts for the first time. And they know fear works.
Here's what the fake emails typically say:
"Due to the new online verification requirement, your Social Security payments have been temporarily suspended. Click here to verify your account and restore your benefits."
"We've detected unusual activity on your Medicare account. To prevent suspension of coverage, verify your identity immediately."
"All Social Security recipients must create an online account by March 15, 2026, or benefits will be interrupted. Complete your account setup now."
All of these are fake.
Social Security will never send you an email threatening to suspend your benefits. They won't demand immediate action. They won't ask you to verify your identity through an email link. But the emails look real. Official logos. Professional formatting. Links that take you to pages that look exactly like the real Social Security website.
I've been in cybersecurity for 50 years. I present to FBI InfraGard. My clients have never had a successful ransomware attack. And my own father still fell for a phishing email.
It looked like it came from his bank. There was a problem with his account. He needed to verify his information. He clicked the link. He entered his credentials.
My stepmother noticed a remote access program running on his computer and called me. I connected remotely and found scammers actively searching his hard drive for financial documents. They were looking for a spreadsheet with all his bank account numbers and passwords.
We caught them before they found it. We were lucky.
That's when I asked myself: What would I build if the person I was protecting was my father?
The answer was ForwardToSafety. Forward a suspicious email to [email protected]. Get a plain-English verdict in about 47 seconds: Safe, Suspicious, or Dangerous. No software to install. No technical knowledge required. Just forward and know.
Open your web browser and type ssa.gov directly into the address bar. Don't click links in emails. Don't use Google to search for "Social Security login." Just type ssa.gov and press Enter.
Other important sites to type manually:
Once you're on the real Social Security or Medicare website, save it as a bookmark in your browser. That way, every time you need to log in, you can click your bookmark instead of searching or clicking email links.
This is the single most effective way to avoid fake login pages. Bookmarks take you to the real site every time.
Don't wait for an email telling you to do it. Go to ssa.gov or medicare.gov yourself, click "Sign In" or "Create Account," and follow the steps. You'll need:
When in doubt: Forward the email to [email protected]. You'll get a verdict in under a minute. If it's fake, you'll know. If it's real (which is rare for Social Security emails), you'll know that too.
Got an email about Social Security, Medicare, or any federal benefit? Before you click anything, forward it to [email protected]. Get a plain-English verdict in under a minute.
No signup. No app. No guessing. Just forward and know for sure.
The transition to online-only federal services is happening whether we like it or not. But you don't have to wait for a scammer's fake email to force you into action. Set up your Social Security and Medicare accounts yourself. Type ssa.gov and medicare.gov into your browser. Create your accounts. Bookmark the sites. And remember: Social Security will never email you threatening to suspend your benefits. Ever. If you get a message like that, it's fake. Delete it. Or better yet, forward it to ForwardToSafety and get confirmation that it's garbage.
#SocialSecurity #Medicare #RetirementSecurity #PhishingScam #BenefitProtection #SeniorSafety #GovernmentBenefits
Want weekly tech and security insights that protect your retirement? Sign up for my Insider Notes Newsletter at CraigPeterson.com.
No hype. No jargon. Just practical guidance to keep you safe online.
Join 10,000+ cybersecurity professionals