The National Police has issued an alert to citizens, particularly retirees, regarding a new scam circulating by mail. The fraud consists of a letter that appears to come from the Social Security Treasury, which informs recipients of an alleged increase in the pension of between 75 and 150 euros. However, to benefit from this increase, scammers ask for personal information such as identification documents and bank statements, with the aim of stealing money from the accounts of the people concerned.
The deception is presented under the pretext that, due to a recent computer attack, pensioners’ data was lostwhich needs to be updated in order to implement the pension increase. The letter includes a Social Security logo pasted on a piece of paper, which at first glance may seem legitimate, but contains details that reveal the scam.
National police spokesmen recommend “do not provide any type of personal or banking information” without first verifying the authenticity of the communication. “It is best to call the Social Security Treasury directly to confirm whether they have actually sent any kind of notification,” authorities advise.
In addition, the agents point out that there are other signs that can identify these frauds, such as: spelling mistakes or suspicious email addresses“The letter mentioned ‘Social Security’ and the sender had a private email, which is a clear indication of fraud,” a spokesperson said.
More and more people are better prepared to identify these types of scams, which are not only done by mail, but also by email. “I never enter suspicious links or give out my personal information without checking first.”” commented a retiree who received one of these letters.
The main advice from the National Police is simple: When in doubt, never trust. If you receive a suspicious communication requesting your information, call the official source before providing any information.
