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Unexpected Letter, Text, or Email from the U.S. Supreme Court? Think Scam First

The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for the Social Security Administration (SSA) is warning the public about a new government imposter scam. This scam comes in the form of an official-looking letter identified as a “certificate” on fake U.S. Supreme Court letterhead using forged signatures of U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. This high-pressure scam urges individuals to cooperate with the named SSA official, pressuring them to send money or share personal information.

The scam letter is personally addressed to the recipient and claims they are a primary suspect in connection with legal proceedings and criminal charges. The letter may use the real name of an SSA executive and claim that the proceedings “are conducted with the oversight of Attorney General Raúl Torrez” of New Mexico. The letter further claims that according to findings from SSA and the incorrectly named “Drug Enforcement Agency,” the recipient may have been subjected to identity theft, noting that their Social Security number (SSN) has been compromised. The letter states that SSA will issue a new SSN.

The scam letter also indicates that the U.S. Supreme Court requested financial institutions to freeze all the recipient’s assets and urges full cooperation with the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The letter falsely claims that the recipient cannot maintain a balance exceeding $10,000 in any banking institution or hold $80,000 - $100,000 in any investments or financial institution. The letter ominously closes by stating, should the recipient encounter any difficulties in safeguarding assets, the recipient will bear full liability for any losses incurred following the suspension of their SSN. Scammers most likely will follow up with text messages or telephone calls.

“On every level this letter is completely false,” stated Michelle L. Anderson, Acting Inspector General. “Scammers continue to exploit fear and confusion by impersonating government agencies and officials. These criminals are falsely accusing an individual of a crime and using federal agencies and federal officials to try to scare and legitimize their scam - if you get this type of letter, rip it up and report it. Be aware of any variations of this scam.”

Protect Yourself 

  • Beware of scammers pretending to be from SSA or another government agency.
  • Stop. Think scam. Talk to someone you trust before paying.
  • Visit ssa.gov/scam to report Social Security-related scams and learn more.
  • Stay up to date on the latest scam warnings and tactics by following SSA OIG on X, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
  • Visit the Federal Trade Commission for consumer protection tips.

Read a PDF of the press release here.

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