How to identify scams like the fake email from "Social Security Administration"

What is the "Social Security Administration" scam email?

Our analysis shows that it is a scam email disguised as a letter from the Social Security Administration. It contains a link to download a file that seems to be an installer for a remote access and support tool. The scammers behind this fraudulent email likely aim to gain remote access to the victims' computers.

More about the "Social Security Administration" scam email

This deceptive email encourages recipients to review their Social Security records through a "secure portal". It claims this step is important for keeping records accurate, safeguarding financial data, and spotting unauthorized changes. The email also includes a "Download Now" button/link.

This link downloads an .msi file that security vendors detect as Connectwise/RemoteAdmin. This suggests that scammers aim to trick recipients into installing ConnectWise or some other remote management software. Once installed, such remote access software can allow attackers to monitor user activity, steal sensitive data, and deploy malware (e.g., ransomware).

Moreover, scammers can use the infiltrated system to launch further attacks or scams. Falling for such scams can lead to monetary loss, identity theft, account hijacking, reputational damage, malware infiltration, and other issues. Thus, it is important to recognize scam emails and avoid opening links or files in such messages.

A couple of examples of other scams where fraudsters use legitimate remote administration tools to gain access to computers are the TeamViewer and UltraViewer scams.

Similar scam emails in general

Scam emails of this type often impersonate trusted organizations, companies, or other entities to trick recipients into taking harmful actions. These emails often claim there is an urgent issue and include links or files. Scammers can use such emails not only to steal money or information but also to deliver malware.

To avoid falling victim, users should be cautious with unexpected emails and avoid clicking unknown links or downloading attachments. Some examples of scam emails are "All Incoming Emails Are Blocked", "Access To Secure Document", and "Server Support".

How do spam campaigns infect computers?

Threat actors often use email to deliver malware by attaching harmful files that appear to be harmless, such as Word or PDF documents, compressed folders (like ZIP or RAR files), executables, script files, etc. When the recipient opens the file or performs additional steps (e.g., enables macros in a malicious document), malware can infiltrate the system.

Alternatively, scam emails contain links to sites designed to trick the user into downloading malware or, in some cases, automatically initiate a download as soon as the page is opened.

How to avoid installation of malware?

Always get software and files from trusted sources like official websites or app stores. Avoid downloading pirated software, using cracking tools, or keygens. Keep your operating system and applications up to date and use reputable security software to scan your device for threats.

Avoid clicking on ads, pop-ups, or buttons on dubious sites, and never grant notification permissions to websites of this kind. Be cautious with emails or messages, especially if they come from unknown senders or include unexpected links or attachments. If you have already opened malicious attachments, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate infiltrated malware.

Text presented in the "Social Security Administration" email letter:

Subject: Ensure Your Profile Supports Features

Social Security Administration

Dear Customer,

To help safeguard your personal information and maintain accurate records, we kindly request that you review your Social Security information through our secure portal.

Regular reviews help ensure:

Your Social Security records are accurate and up-to-date
Your personal and financial information remains protected
Unauthorized changes or discrepancies are quickly identified

To proceed, please click the button below to view your latest document securely:

Download Now

Please be assured that all files and data accessed through our portal are encrypted and protected by industry-standard security protocols.

Thank you for your continued trust in the Social Security Administration. We are committed to keeping your information accurate, private, and secure.

This message was sent by the U.S. Social Security Administration. Please do not reply to this automated message.

Instant automatic malware removal:

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Quick menu:

• What is Fake notification from Social Security Administration?
• Types of malicious emails.
• How to spot a malicious email?
• What to do if you fell for an email scam?

Types of malicious emails:

Phishing Emails

Most commonly, cybercriminals use deceptive emails to trick Internet users into giving away their sensitive private information, for example, login information for various online services, email accounts, or online banking information.

Such attacks are called phishing. In a phishing attack, cybercriminals usually send an email message with some popular service logo (for example, Microsoft, DHL, Amazon, Netflix), create urgency (wrong shipping address, expired password, etc.), and place a link which they hope their potential victims will click on.

After clicking the link presented in such email message, victims are redirected to a fake website that looks identical or extremely similar to the original one. Victims are then asked to enter their password, credit card details, or some other information that gets stolen by cybercriminals.

Emails with Malicious Attachments

Another popular attack vector is email spam with malicious attachments that infect users' computers with malware. Malicious attachments usually carry trojans that are capable of stealing passwords, banking information, and other sensitive information.

In such attacks, cybercriminals' main goal is to trick their potential victims into opening an infected email attachment. To achieve this goal, email messages usually talk about recently received invoices, faxes, or voice messages.

If a potential victim falls for the lure and opens the attachment, their computers get infected, and cybercriminals can collect a lot of sensitive information.

While it's a more complicated method to steal personal information (spam filters and antivirus programs usually detect such attempts), if successful, cybercriminals can get a much wider array of data and can collect information for a long period of time.

Sextortion Emails

This is a type of phishing. In this case, users receive an email claiming that a cybercriminal could access the webcam of the potential victim and has a video recording of one's masturbation.

To get rid of the video, victims are asked to pay a ransom (usually using Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency). Nevertheless, all of these claims are false - users who receive such emails should ignore and delete them.

How to spot a malicious email?

While cyber criminals try to make their lure emails look trustworthy, here are some things that you should look for when trying to spot a phishing email:

• Check the sender's ("from") email address: Hover your mouse over the "from" address and check if it's legitimate. For example, if you received an email from Microsoft, be sure to check if the email address is @microsoft.com and not something suspicious like @m1crosoft.com, @microsfot.com, @account-security-noreply.com, etc.
• Check for generic greetings: If the greeting in the email is "Dear user", "Dear @youremail.com", "Dear valued customer", this should raise suspiciousness. Most commonly, companies call you by your name. Lack of this information could signal a phishing attempt.
• Check the links in the email: Hover your mouse over the link presented in the email, if the link that appears seems suspicious, don't click it. For example, if you received an email from Microsoft and the link in the email shows that it will go to firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0... you shouldn't trust it. It's best not to click any links in the emails but to visit the company website that sent you the email in the first place.
• Don't blindly trust email attachments: Most commonly, legitimate companies will ask you to log in to their website and to view any documents there; if you received an email with an attachment, it's a good idea to scan it with an antivirus application. Infected email attachments are a common attack vector used by cybercriminals.

To minimise the risk of opening phishing and malicious emails we recommend using Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows. 

Example of a spam email:

What to do if you fell for an email scam?

• If you clicked on a link in a phishing email and entered your password - be sure to change your password as soon as possible. Usually, cybercriminals collect stolen credentials and then sell them to other groups that use them for malicious purposes. If you change your password in a timely manner, there's a chance that criminals won't have enough time to do any damage.
• If you entered your credit card information - contact your bank as soon as possible and explain the situation. There's a good chance that you will need to cancel your compromised credit card and get a new one.
• If you see any signs of identity theft - you should immediately contact the Federal Trade Commission. This institution will collect information about your situation and create a personal recovery plan.
• If you opened a malicious attachment - your computer is probably infected, you should scan it with a reputable antivirus application. For this purpose, we recommend using  Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.
• Help other Internet users - report phishing emails to Anti-Phishing Working Group, FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, National Fraud Information Center and U.S. Department of Justice.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why did I receive this email?

Scam emails usually contain generic messages. Receiving one often means the recipient's email address was collected through a data breach, a fake registration form, or another untrustworthy source.

I have provided my personal information when tricked by this email, what should I do?

Change the compromised passwords, contact your bank (if banking information was shared), or contact the appropriate authorities if scammers obtained your ID card information or similar details.

I have downloaded and opened a malicious file attached to an email, is my computer infected?

Running a malicious executable file can infect a system immediately. Other file types, like documents or archives, are less risky, but hidden malware can infiltrate systems if the user is tricked into performing actions like enabling macros or running extracted content.

I have read the email but did not open the attachment, is my computer infected?

Simply opening or reading an email is safe, as most malware requires the user to take further action (e.g., opening a file or a link).

Will Combo Cleaner remove malware infections that were present in email attachment?

Combo Cleaner can detect and remove most known malware, but some threats may be hidden deep within the system. To ensure complete removal, it is important to run a full system scan.