Fake U.S. Supreme Court Letter Scam

Overview

Scammers are mailing personally-addressed "certificates" on forged U.S. Supreme Court letterhead, complete with fake signatures of real justices, to pressure Social Security recipients into sending money or personal information.

How It Works

The scam arrives as a physical letter styled as an official "certificate" on counterfeit U.S. Supreme Court letterhead bearing forged signatures of real sitting justices. It is personally addressed to the recipient and falsely claims they are a "primary suspect" in criminal legal proceedings tied to identity theft and that their Social Security number has been compromised, sometimes invoking a real-sounding but misnamed federal agency and a named state attorney general for added legitimacy. The letter may use the real name of an actual SSA executive to appear authentic and claims the Supreme Court has ordered banks to freeze the recipient's assets, telling them they cannot hold more than $10,000 in any bank account or $80,000–$100,000 in investments. It pressures the victim to urgently cooperate with a named "SSA official," ultimately to send money or hand over sensitive personal/financial information, falsely claiming SSA will issue them a new Social Security number. Scammers most likely follow up with text messages or telephone calls.

Red Flags

• Unsolicited letter claiming to be from the U.S. Supreme Court
• Letter is labeled a "certificate" and uses forged justice signatures
• Claims you are a criminal suspect and must act urgently to avoid losing your assets
• Demands you keep account balances under specific dollar thresholds or cooperate with a named official
• References a misnamed federal agency (e.g., the "Drug Enforcement Agency" instead of the correct name)
• Pressure to send money or share personal/financial information quickly

Real Examples

• The SSA Office of the Inspector General issued an October 8, 2025 alert describing letters on fake Supreme Court letterhead with forged signatures of Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, claiming recipients were primary suspects in legal proceedings overseen by a named state attorney general.
• Reported versions of the letter claimed recipients could not hold more than $10,000 in any bank account or $80,000–$100,000 in investments, and asserted the Supreme Court had ordered financial institutions to freeze the recipient's assets, referencing an incorrectly named 'Drug Enforcement Agency' and the Department of the Treasury.

Where It Spreads

How to Protect Yourself

• Know that the Supreme Court does not contact individuals about criminal investigations, bank freezes, or Social Security numbers by letter, text, or email
• Never send money, gift cards, or personal/financial details based on an unsolicited "legal" letter
• Report the letter to the SSA Office of the Inspector General and keep it as evidence instead of discarding it
• Talk to someone you trust before paying or responding to any letter that demands urgent action involving your money or identity

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