Fake Social Security number suspended government impersonation scam — fraudulent email impersonates the Social Security Administration (SSA) falsely claiming the recipient's Social Security number (SSN) has been suspended, blocked, or compromised due to suspicious or criminal activity, and threatening arrest, criminal charges, or legal action unless the recipient calls a number immediately to resolve the investigation

Fraudulent emails impersonating the Social Security Administration (SSA) or federal law enforcement falsely claiming the recipient's Social Security number (SSN) has been suspended, compromised, or involved in criminal activity — and threatening immediate arrest, criminal charges, or legal action unless the recipient calls a toll-free number immediately or presses 1 to speak with an "officer." These robocall-style scams have extended to email and target older adults disproportionately. Key facts: (1) Social Security impersonation scams are the #1 reported government impersonation fraud category; FTC 2024: Americans reported losing $1.1B to government impersonation scams, with SSA scams accounting for the largest share; (2) The SSA never suspends Social Security numbers — this is a fictional threat invented by scammers; SSNs are permanent identifiers that cannot be "blocked" or "revoked" by the administration; (3) The SSA does not contact individuals by email or phone to threaten arrest, demand immediate payment, or request wire transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrency to resolve "legal issues"; (4) Victims who call the number encounter live scammers posing as SSA officials or law enforcement who demand immediate payment in gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency to "clear their record." Warning signs: SSN suspended/blocked/compromised threat, arrest warrant claim, toll-free callback number, non-ssa.gov sender domain.