I got an email from the Social Security Administration today.

[TygrBright]

The subject line was "Help Us Slam the Scam" and the email body identified several techniques scammers use such as:

• An unexpected problem or offer of a prize or benefit increase,


• Pressure to act immediately, and


• A request for an unusual payment like cryptocurrency, gift cards, gold bars, and wire transfers, even with the promise of keeping your money “safe."

The email went on to urge me to educate myself about Social Security scams, and share their "Scam Alert" newsletter link.

Although I know this email came from an unattended internal auto-generator, I could not resist clicking the "Reply" button and typing the following:

"THE CALL IS COMING FROM INSIDE THE BUILDING"

And sending it back to them. I hope some AI gets a momentary hiccup trying to process that one.

wryly,
Bright

[elocs]

1. I got that email 4 days ago. More importantly, I got my March SS check yesterday. n/t

[TygrBright]

2. My partner got their deposit in February, but I'll cross fingers for March... n/t

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

8. Oh, for chrissakes.

Do you, or anyone reading this, sincerely think the Trump administration will somehow totally cancel Social Security in the next few days?

Really? Why exactly do you think that? And I want details, not just some "We can't trust them" nonsense.

I do keep on pointing out that at least as many Republicans have mothers who are dependent on Social Security and Medicare as Democrats have.

Although a part of me wants to have those idiots cancel Social Security, and then are truly surprised that Mom now needs to move in.

[TygrBright]

10. They are incompetent enough that they could do it by accident

The Egoons of the Nerd Reich are not nearly as smart as they think they are in reference to the long-established code of various government systems.

"Oops!"

So, yes, I hold my breath any time I'm waiting for any Federal agency to perform any routine function anymore.

wearily,
Bright

[malthaussen]

6. Mine's due on the third.

Hopefully SS won't be nuked over the weekend, but really, isn't it just a matter of time?

Like many of my generation, I didn't expect SS would still be around by the time I could retire. So in an odd way, the last 6 years have been gravy.

-- Mal

[William769]

11. I did too.

[Raftergirl]

3. I just got it in an email about 5 minutes ago.

[TygrBright]

4. They auto-responded with "this email box is not monitored, etc...." just now.

Nevertheless, I blew off a little steam.

diffidently,
Bright

[Hekate]

5. I'll remember that!

[Justice matters.]

7. I get "a few" scammers on my phone, I never reply.

Although just I signaled just one who tried to defraud me with a fraudulent URL I knew was not legit. I immediately took a screenshot and sent it to my bank's email address it previously sent to me for phishing cases like that, saying I did not activate that link and that that fraudulent URL must belong to a criminal somewhere.

I received a "thank you" response from them the next day saying they appreciated my email a lot.

[3auld6phart]

9. Good

.A bit of sand in the gears ,love it.

[hunter]

12. I'm curious, how does Social Security have your email?

Is it something they require?

I've been abandoning email addresses for more than forty years now. I don't like using my personal email for anything serious. Work email addresses come and go with the work.

[TygrBright]

13. I don't like it, either. But at this point there are only two options for activating your Social Security -

- which also includes your Medicare:

1. You can spend 90 minutes on hold on the phone to your local Social Security office to set up an appointment with one of their ever-dwindling workforce to sign you up in person - an appointment usually several weeks out, and then be told that you need to go to their website ANYWAY to get a bunch of information about what documentation you'll need to supply. While you're there the website will let you know that if you don't want to create an online account to download your documentation, you'll need to call another number and work your way through a truly hellish phone tree to give them your personal information and a snail-mail address so that they can mail it to you. Which they will, but it won't arrive in time for your appointment, so back to the hold queue and change your appointment, or, if you're feeling really masochistic, show up for the appointment without all the deets you need and get gently scolded for wasting their time while they make another appointment for you and hint very broadly that if you established an online account you'd be all done with this by now; or

2. Give in and establish an account on the government website which is also annoying as it involves a couple of levels of authentication and security, but doesn't take nearly as long.

if you go with "2", giving them an email address is one of the requirements. They do use 2-factor identification when you're using their online services, but of course their email bots don't regard such things for the "helpful" communications and reminders the send.

informatively,
Bright

[hunter]

14. My kid's Social Security number was stolen and used by someone in another state.

That was a nightmare to sort out and involved multiple appointments and lots of waiting in the local Social Security office.

[mucholderthandirt]

16. Someone years ago filed a tax return in my brother's name, no other sign of identity theft.

He still has to wait for a pin number before he can file taxes. IRS said this will likely be required until the day he dies.

[mucholderthandirt]

15. I got it a few days ago. I have enough sense to not fall for scammers (hence why I don't vote "R"). LOL

I'm old, but I didn't just roll out of the cabbage patch.

I was born at night, but it wasn't last night.

LOL Thank you, I'll be here all week. Tip your wait staff, and be polite to your fellow diners.