How to spot "Social Security Administration eStatement Is Available" malspam emails

What kind of email is "Social Security Administration eStatement Is Available"?

We have reviewed this email and determined that it is malspam. It impersonates the Social Security Administration and falsely claims the recipient's annual statement is ready for download. Clicking the link inside leads to a fake verification site that delivers a trojanized ScreenConnect installer instead. The email should be deleted without following any of its instructions.

"Social Security Administration eStatement Is Available" email virus in detail

The email claims to be from the Social Security Administration and states that the recipient's 2026 Social Security Statement is now available. It includes a reference ID, a date, and a "Download eStatement" button to give the appearance of a legitimate government notification. The real Social Security Administration has no connection to this email.

Clicking the download button takes the visitor to a fake website designed to look like an official SSA page. It displays an "Identity Verification Required" message and asks the visitor to slide a button to begin the download. Once completed, the site automatically pushes a file named ScreenConnect.ClientSetup.msi to the visitor's machine.

The site also includes a notice stating that documents are accessible only through PC or Windows-based systems. This is a deliberate filter ensuring the malicious installer only reaches Windows users.

ScreenConnect (also known as ConnectWise Control) is a legitimate remote desktop application used by IT professionals. In this campaign, the installer has been configured to silently connect to a server controlled by the attackers, granting them full, unattended remote access to the victim's computer.

Once connected, the attackers can view the victim's screen, steal files, harvest login credentials and banking details, install further malware, or perform unauthorized financial transactions. Any system on which this installer ran should be treated as fully compromised.

Malspam campaign examples

This email is a scam impersonating the Social Security Administration. The link it contains leads to a fake identity verification page that forces a trojanized ScreenConnect installer onto the visitor's machine. Running this file gives attackers silent remote access, putting stored data, online accounts, and finances at serious risk.

More examples of malware-spreading emails are Your Order Is On The Way, Social Security Statement Update, and IRS Tax Documents. Spam mail is used to proliferate various types of malware, including trojans, ransomware, stealers, and other malicious programs.

How do spam campaigns infect computers?

Spam emails spread malware either through malicious attachments or links to dangerous websites. Attachments can come in many formats - Word documents, PDFs, ZIP archives, executables, script files, and more. Some infect the system the moment they are opened; others require the user to enable macro commands or perform some other action first.

Links embedded in spam emails often lead to pages disguised as document portals or verification services, where the visitor is prompted to download a file. In some cases the download is automatic; in others the page uses social engineering to convince the visitor to run the file manually.

How to avoid installation of malware?

Treat every unexpected email with caution, particularly those from government agencies or services asking you to download a file. Always verify such communications through official channels before clicking any links. Never open attachments or follow links from senders you do not recognize.

Keep your operating system and all installed software up to date. Only download programs from official sources and app stores, and stay away from pirated software, key generators, and unofficial activation tools. A reputable antivirus and routine system scans are important layers of defense.

If you have already run the file promoted in this email, we recommend scanning your computer with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate any infiltrated malware.

Text presented in the "Social Security Administration eStatement Is Available" email letter:

Subject: Your eStatement is here - Thank You for Choosing Online Access 53345763 5/29/2026

Social Security

Your eStatement is now available.

Date: Friday, May 29, 2026
Reference ID: SSA-2026-29-61897286
Recipient Email: ********

Your Updated Social Security Statement

We are pleased to inform you that your 2026 Social Security Statement is now available for review. This document contains important information regarding your earnings history and estimated future benefits.
[Download eStatement]

Statements and documents are accessible only through PC or Windows-based systems.

Your statement includes the following information:

Changes to Your Direct Deposit Information
A complete record of your reported earnings
Estimated retirement benefit projections
Information on disability and survivor benefits
Details related to Medicare coverage

We encourage you to review this information carefully and ensure that all records are accurate and up to date.

More Tools at Your Fingertips

Your secure, online my Social Security account also lets you:
Access your current and past 1099 tax forms
Request a replacement Social Security card
Get benefit verification letters
Set up or change direct deposit
Manage your advance designees

Security Reminder:
The Social Security Administration will never request personal or financial information via email. If you did not request this statement, please contact us immediately at 1-800-772-1213.

Go Digital! Join the millions and discover your benefits.

[Manage Subscriptions] | [Unsubscribe All] | [Help]

This email was sent using govDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: Social Security Administration Notifications · 707 17th St, Suite 4000 · Denver, CO 80202

Full appearance of the "Social Security Administration eStatement Is Available" spam email (GIF):

Screenshot of the malicious website promoted by this spam campaign:

Instant automatic malware removal:

Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of malware. Download it by clicking the button below:

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Quick menu:

• What is Social Security Administration eStatement Is Available malspam?
• 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?

Spam emails are not personalized. Cybercriminals send the same message to large numbers of addresses collected through data breaches, fake websites, or purchased from other criminals. Receiving this email does not mean your personal accounts have been targeted.

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

If personal or financial details were submitted on the fake verification site, contact your bank and relevant authorities right away. Passwords for any accounts that may have been exposed should also be changed immediately.

I have downloaded and run a file promoted by this spam email, is my computer infected?

The file distributed by this campaign is a Windows installer (.msi), which is an executable format. Running it would install the trojanized ScreenConnect client and almost certainly give attackers remote access to the computer.

Treat the system as compromised and run a full antivirus scan immediately.

I have read the email but did not click any links, is my computer infected?

No. Reading a spam email does not trigger any infection. Malware is only delivered when the recipient clicks the embedded link and then runs the downloaded file.

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

Yes, Combo Cleaner can detect and remove most known malware, including trojanized remote access tools. Running a full system scan is recommended, as sophisticated threats may attempt to conceal themselves within system processes.