perhaps the SS# has been used for pension fraud? certainly a lose-lose scenario for the recipient.

Unlikely, IMO. There would be too many "red tape requirements" in order to be able to obtain a pension from any source. So why would a scammer report it to the govt? They would NOT, hence the rational belief it is not pension fraud.

Be sure to scan any/all documents received, including the envelope. If there is a postmark, be careful to scan it carefully and get as much information from the imprint as you can. If there is just a pre-printed postage paid (i.e. not from a postmark made by a postage machine), then the USPS may also be involved. Then things "get fun", shall we way. Postal fraud would be a federal crime. More importantly, USPS has postal scans of most first class mail through its system, so they CAN TRACK IT (from delivery to entry into the USPS system). This is something most scammers do not realize.

Using someone else's SSN happens, and there are established procedures (within SSA) to require the employer AND the employee to "get it right". Nothing gets posted to an account if there is a problem with the SSN, name, etc. Thus, the use of someone else's SSN would trigger an immediate response by the SSA. For a pension, use of the same SSN by two or more people (at the same time) would have to have gone on for years in order to be eligible for a pension. Which means the letter contains numerous KNOWN false claims. IMO, report it to SSA, OIG at SSA, federal DA for their state, state DA for their state, federal white collar crime task force (all levels), and any other law enforcement deemed reasonably connected to this crime.