Throughout the latter part of the summer, social media was ablaze with the attention-grabbing news that the Social Security Administration was planning on issuing a one-time direct deposit of $5,108 to all retirees aged 70 years and older in the month of June 2025.
The news, of course, spread like wildfire through Facebook and various other clickbait websites that promised older adults some unexpected money that could potentially go to their medical expenses, monthly bills, or even to a well-deserved getaway. However, also like wildfire, the news of the $5,108 payment and the promise of money spread, only to be countered by the SSA and various professionals in the field, who were quick to deem the news as false.
What the SSA Actually Said
On August 20, 2025, the SSA stated that there would be no additional lump-sum payments to retirees for the month of June, thus further clarifying their stance on the issue. Furthermore, beneficiaries of the Social Security Administration will continue to receive retirement checks regularly, however, none of these payments will be the purported $5,108.
‘Seniors are advised to refer only to the official SSA website or other direct SSA communications when looking for payment information, and not to other sites and documents that are not well established and that could be misleading’, stated a spokesperson for the SSA.
Means Of Propagating The False Information
According to experts, the rumor about $5,108 stemmed from a blog that had not been authenticated, which in turn, mistook a quarterly cost-of-living-adjustment projection. Content farms then automated the figure and classified it as a payout, which was then further amplified by social sharing algorithms.
Seeking help on complex benefit rules, seniors, in comparison to other demographics, were the most vulnerable to such misleading sensationalized claims and ended up sharing it across retirement communities and newsletters without verifying the information.
Clarifying The Confusing Processes
Social Security retirement benefits computations have proved to be tedious as they center around the individual’s 35 most rewarding years and the age he or she decides to file for benefits. The age brackets include 62, 67, and 70 and are classified as reduced payment, full retirement benefit, and delayed credits respectively. Depending on the work history and the lifetime contributions made by the individual, the SSA direct deposits greatly differs from a couple of hundred bucks to thousands of dollars on a monthly basis. Every October, the SSA announces its annual COLA Adjustment that applies a percentage of increase instead of a fixed six figure sum. Let us now look at your self defense from scams.