Fixed Income

Social Security Clickbait

One of the most common clickbaits goes something like this: “6 Major Changes to Social Security Coming in 2026.”
Social Security Clickbait
An increasingly common clickbait scenario, frequently sent as an email, usually goes something like this: "Click here to get your annual Social Security statement." Those are always false because the Social Security Administration rarely sends Social Security statements, or any other Social Security information, to people via email. zimmytws/Shutterstock
Tom Margenau
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I’m sure you’ve seen these little teaser links on the Internet that can sometimes be too irresistible to ignore. They have catchy titles like “20 Celebrities Who Have a Secret Past” or “10 Common Foods That Will Kill You.” This kind of come-on is called “clickbait.” Frequently, it’s a form of false advertising that is designed to entice people browsing the web to follow a link to read or view some content that is usually disingenuous at best, and totally misleading at worst.

And there is a growing number of Social Security-themed clickbait. As I mentioned in a recent column, one of the most common ones goes something like this: “6 Major Changes to Social Security Coming in 2026.” And I’m sure many people fall for that come-on and open the link because they sure don’t want to miss out on any major changes to the program that might affect them.

Tom Margenau
Tom Margenau
Author
Tom Margenau worked for 32 years in a variety of positions for the Social Security Administration before retiring in 2005. He has served as the director of SSA’s public information office, the chief editor of more than 100 SSA publications, a deputy press officer and spokesman, and a speechwriter for the commissioner of Social Security. For 12 years, he also wrote Social Security columns for local newspapers, and recently published the book “Social Security: Simple and Smart.” If you have a Social Security question, contact him at [email protected]