Social Security Takes Fraud Seriously
Reading Time: 1 MinuteLast Updated: August 19, 2021
One out of five Americans receives benefits from Social Security, including elderly retirees, people with severe illnesses, and widows and children of deceased wage earners.
With so many of our country’s most vulnerable citizens depending on us, we take our responsibility of providing them with a measure of financial security seriously.
One way we do that is by making a priority our many efforts to pursue those who would cheat the system and take money away from those who need it most.
The agency’s benefit programs are far-reaching and complex, which means that preventing, detecting, and combatting fraud, waste, and abuse is an ongoing challenge. Although we can’t prevent every instance of fraud any more than law enforcement can prevent all crimes, we aggressively investigate potential instances of fraud and pursue prosecution of those who commit it.
Our Office of Anti-Fraud Programs (OAFP) uses many tools to help predict where fraud may occur so we can identify it as quickly as possible. OAFP works alongside the Office of the Inspector General, and Disability Determination Services in the Cooperative Disability Investigation (CDI) program. CDI units investigate and resolve questions of fraud in our programs. There are stiff penalties: We seek the maximum punishment allowable under the law to restore money stolen from the American people. As a result, fraud affects only a very small percentage of our overall payments.
You can help protect your investment in Social Security. Take time to learn all the facts on how we work to prevent fraud. Remember, if you suspect fraud, report it or call the fraud hotline at 1-800-269-0271.
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Tags: fraud, social security, SSA
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Phil Gambino, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Communications
Assistant Deputy Commissioner for Communications
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fiusie
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Elaine M.
I have a question. Can a child whose father passed away and is receiving ssi as child support still receive the ssi if she lives with her aunt to go to a different high school?
The mother is still paying for all the child’s food, clothing and supplies…
Just wondering.
If anyone knows if the child’s has to remain in the original home to receive her ssi benefits, let me know..
R.F.
In most cases, children under the age of 18 need a Representative Payee when they receive Social Security benefits. Generally, we look for relatives living in the same household to serve as representative payees. Please call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. and speak to one of our representatives for further assistance. Or contact your local Social Security office.
Adam M.
Hi my mother n law stopped my checks 3 years ago fot my dad who has passes away because my mom. Wouldnt give me anything so im now 18 and get a letter saying i am going to receive a check for over 8.000 dollars i have no contact with my mom and. The ssi told me she has it i went over to her house with a cop and she lied saying she never received it how can i get the money back since she wont give it to me she spend it all
Sarah m.
Hello I am wondering if it is possible to report fraud that happened to someone who at the time didn’t know it was happening and only realized after they turned 18 when their benefits stopped. There were times where their payee which was their mother didn’t even live with them and used their money for herself and mainly used the money to buy drugs. The beneficiary has proof of this and so do some of his other relatives.
R.F.
Hi Sarah. If you suspect fraud, waste or abuse of Social Security benefits, we encourage you to report it. To report misuse of Social Security benefits, report it. We will investigate all allegations of misuse, gather facts and evidence, and make a decision on whether misuse has occurred. Please call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. to speak to one of our representatives. Or you can contact your local Social Security office. Thanks!
Anonymous
My Brother died back in 2006. After his death he had a son, whom he will never know. The son receives around $600.00 in social security benefits from my brothers death. The mother is no longer in the picture and doesn’t handle his money. However, the step-grandmother and biological grandfather have custody of him. They are currently being investigated by Children Services(For neglect, physical abuse, mental abuse, among other indecencies). Ever since my brothers son was born, they have used his checks to pay for their own expenses. He is now ten years old and we have reported Fraud to Social Security two times, to no avail. He supposedly has a savings account with only $5,000 dollars in it, if you do the math, he should have around $72,000 dollars accumulated since he was born. He never has anything new, he goes to school is old clothes, he has to pay for his own birthday presents and holidays, he has multiple mental diagnosis because of the way he is treated and the way they fight to keep him just for his money (We have been fighting for custody of him since he was two years old). I need to talk to the right person that is willing to take action against this. So my brothers son can receive the money he deserves and not just be used and abused for receiving this money. I will post this as Anonymous because I don’t want the grandparents to figure our who I am. Please contact me at the e-mail address I left, for further information. Thank you, and God Bless!
Sarah m.
This happened to someone I personally know. Please take your proof to your local SSA office. That is the fastest way for something to be done. My friend also had the same thing happen with his trust fund. It was suppose to have 5,000 in it when he was born and then over the years it would have drawn interest. Not sure how much that may have been when he turned 18 but when he finally got to get into the fund there was under $1,000. I hope that you get this all under control. Sadly I think there is too much fraud going on for SSA to handle all of it. It’s very sad.
Kandy C.
This article is a JOKE! I have reported fraud by the same person multiple times on the online forms, as well as tried to call the number; i called one day at 10am EST and spent all day on the phone ringing. I have contacted the SS department directly to be told they cant do anything. This representative kept getting this childs money for 18 months after giving up guardian ship of this child. I finally have full custody of this child and still cant get the monies owed her. Now this same mother has filed for SS disability herself and has had a hearing but hasn’t told them she worked last summer under the table and I have proof of all of this. They do not care and it is money being taken from those who really need it. If they really did care they would investigate this and SS would stop this person from abusing the system yet again
Kay
but what proof , if it is under the table it is cash and no money trail. It is hard to prove for sure
Israel c.
I have a serious problem with this issues of funds from back pay for 12 years ago I was told that in order for me to recover my funds I need a representative payee so in doing so my wife became my representative payee for $58,000 these funds were release and in doing so she stolen all the money from me kicking me out of my home provided me only with $1,500 sense time I received that money in 2015, it is now 2017 and I have yet to be told how this case will be resolved. So my life continues to fall behind with suffering medical care due to stolen funds I have reported this matter to my local office and this also means that I have no clue how are things going on with my funds. Please help I have written several times to my senator and continue to hit a brick wall. Please I need this matter resolved for restitution to be pay back.
Jennifer
Hello, was approved for SSI. Went to local office and did questions. For the retro or back pay period, I was mostly homeless, not also lived at times with a revolving cast of acquaintances. I bought and made food by myself via Food Stamps. Told the local SS office this.
Get determination, she has me living in household of another for the entire 2 years of back pay! I didn’t. Also I bought and made my own food. So she basically filled it all out as if she works on commission and to steal my back pay I should have receives all along. This takes my monthly from $750 to $490 for 2 years, robbing me.
Can I call a number at SS? This was my local office who did this, so not much help at all and this employee lied. Thank you.
R.F.
Hi Jennifer. Unfortunately, but for security reasons, we do not have access to personal records in this blog. Please continue working with your local office about this situation. If you would like to submit a comment, complaint or suggestion, you can write to us or send us an email message. Thanks.
Nancy
#CA #democrat @MaxineWaters FALSIFIED age to get SS Card (her own words on video shown here) https://goo.gl/QzsI6b
This is social security fraud by a CONGRESSWOMAN – if she lied about her age to defraud social security did she get benefits earlier too and did she put her made up age on her legal declarations to run for congress? Is that election fraud too!? Will you please investigate and prosecute?
This is unacceptable and she admitted it on video – I don’t see how she can escape prosecution.
E S.
What actually happens when a person is found to have falsified their disability?
R.F.
We take fraud seriously. If you suspect fraud, waste or abuse of Social Security benefits we encourage you to report it. Visit “Social Security – Protecting Your Investment” for more information.