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Date Published: 13/01/2026

Retirees beware: Spanish pension scam letters are back in circulation

Fraudsters claiming to offer pension increases are targeting retirees in Spain with fake requests for ID and bank details

Pensioners across Spain are being warned about a nasty scam that's doing the rounds again this January, just as people are expecting news about the 2026 pension increase. The General Treasury of Social Security has put out an alert on social media telling retirees to watch out for fake letters pretending to be official communications.

Some pensioners might recognise this scam from previous years, but plenty of others could easily fall for it.

The dodgy letters are designed to look like they've come from the Social Security Administration.

"We are contacting you from Social Security because we need you to send us the following documentation. Due to the law that came into effect last month and the cyberattack on the Tax and Social Security systems, much of the citizens' data has been lost," the first paragraph of the letter reads.

The scammers then dangle a carrot by promising an increase in retirement benefits ranging from €75 to €150, depending on the individual case. In exchange for this supposed increase, they ask people to send:

Photos of both sides of their ID card or NIE
A photo of their bank statement showing them as the account holder or authorised representative
The last amount they received last month as an estimate

At the bottom of the letter, there's an email address where victims are told to send all this documentation: Seguridadsocial.granada@outlook.es. The subject line should apparently be "Documentation + ID Number" and it's signed off by the "Director General of the INSS."

The Spanish Treasury has taken to social media to warn pensioners about the scam's return. "Beware. Fraud. This letter is circulating again among pensioners," the warning post states.

The agency has made it crystal clear that "Social Security will never ask you for this information."

If you get a letter that seems dodgy, trust your gut. Be suspicious if it's requesting sensitive information like your ID or bank account number. Take a close look at how it's written too, because scams often have spelling mistakes or odd phrasing that doesn't quite sound right.

The best way to protect yourself is to stay alert and contact the actual organisation directly if you're not sure whether something is legitimate. Don't use any contact details provided in the suspicious letter. Instead, look up the official number yourself and give them a ring to check whether it's a scam or a genuine communication.

Also of interest: Housing, electricity, water, pensions... everything that goes up and down in price in Spain this year

Image: Via @info_TGSS

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