Your Stories Q&A: This email from Social Security is not a scam

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — You ask, we answer!

Viewer Question: I received an email from the Social Security Administration notifying me of important changes to access my online account. Is this legit or a scam?

This is not a scam. After we reached out to the Social Security Administration (SSA), the agency issued a press release , alerting people of the changes.

“ We are changing the way people access all our online services ─ including my Social Security. People will no longer be able to sign in to their personal my Social Security account with their username and password. Instead, they’ll need to use one of our Credential Service Providers, Login.gov or ID.me. If your viewers already have a Login.gov or ID.me account, and can sign in to our online services, they can continue using that account .” SSA said in an email to the Your Stories Team.

SSA said this only impacts those who created an online account before September 18, 2021. They did not say how many people received an email alert.

“Account holders are encouraged to sign-in now. When the user logs in, they will be presented with an option to easily transition to Login.gov. Once their account is successfully linked, a confirmation screen will appear, and they will have immediate access to their personal my Social Security services or other service that they were attempting to access. ” SSA said in a release.

SSA said it was making the change, “ to simplify the sign-in experience and align with federal authentication standards while providing safe and secure access to online services.”

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