The Social Security Administration's new section on its website explaining the agency's identity verification policy does little to clear up confusion, according to Social Security advocates.
The question and answer page, What to Know About Proving Your Identity, purports "to answer beneficiaries’ questions about the new identity verification process [but] is just another example of the Trump administration trying to put lipstick on a pig," according to Maria Freese, senior legislative representative for the National Association to Preserve Social Security and Medicare. "You can’t disguise a bad policy by repeating the baseless justifications for it."
In mid-March, the SSA said that it would start requiring in-person visits for those without a "my Social Security" account beginning March 31. A week later, the agency shifted its stance and said an in-person ID verification requirement would not apply to disability insurance, Medicare and Supplemental Security Income applications.
Retirement income benefit claims, however, will still require in-person identity verification for those who cannot use their "my Social Security” account.
"SSA has somewhat modified the phone policy, but hasn't reversed it," Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works, told ThinkAdvisor Monday. "It will still impact the majority of beneficiaries (as the Q&A says, everyone applying for Retirement, Survivors, or Spouse/Child benefits)."
Ironically, Altman continued, "instead of preventing fraud, this policy is creating opportunities for it. People are getting communications from scammers who claim to be the SSA, asking for personal data. For every beneficiary who realizes the scam and reports it, there are likely many more who don't."
Further, the change "never made sense to begin with," Altman said. "By SSA's own admission, most direct deposit fraud occurs in places other than the 1-800 number (primarily the website). So forcing people off the phones and into the less secure website and overcrowded field offices will hurt, not help."
Freese agreed that "many seniors have limited access to technology and limited fluency with the internet. Some who do have some ability to use computers have learned to be distrustful of what they read, considering the amount of misinformation and outright lies they see. Most seniors will want to talk to a real person who is trained to answer their questions."
Beneficiaries, according to Freese, "are appearing at Social Security field offices in increasing numbers to have their identity ‘pre-approved’ because they are fearful their benefits will be cut off."
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said last week that only "fraudsters" would complain if they missed a Social Security check. Despite Lutnick’s pronouncements, "most seniors rely on their Social Security benefit each month to pay for basic expenses like food, prescription medications and housing," Freese said. "They will not be assured their benefits are safe just because SSA says so on its website."
As for the Q&A, most beneficiaries won't see it, Altman said. "They are too little, too late to stop the enormous amount of stress and confusion caused by this policy."
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