New
#11
Hi.
I don't think this is a case of malware/scammers, but perhaps something fishy has happened with her email account.
Has your mother not used the account in a while?
Do you know if any one-time access codes were generated?
Has she tried logging in using a phone, which already was setup and had access?
Is it possible to answer the series of questions that were created when opening the account to prove identity?
Have you checked to see if the email has been compromised on the Have I been pwned site?
Have I Been Pwned: Check if your email has been compromised in a data breach
(They also have a tab for checking passwords.)
Like you, I don't like the idea of sending off copies of identification documents. But I think something has happened to the account, (whether it's been hacked or whatever), and therefore it has been locked-down somehow. Why they say "verifying you're an adult" is beyond me. Perhaps she "fat-fingered" the year when she first made the account, and didn't realize she had made a mistake?
I think the small, non-refundable fee is $1.00. Are you mother's documents worth the cost? I'd rather part with $1 than have to talk to customer support...
Once you're in there, check the year of her DoB, and setup 2FA, and generate some one-time passwords so you don't have to go through this again.