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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U t.
When I was around 13 years old somebody messed up my social security card use it without my approval I found this out later when they start sending me bills for a lot of money that I do not know
https://gunsafely.com/
Social security is best beneficiary for the people. It may uses various ways. so we should keep with them.
Douglas L.
My private Social Security information and other private information has been compromised. It may well be that The Social Security Administration’s data banks have been hacked.
I have reported this to the Social Security Administration as well as to the Federal Trade Commission. I have not gotten any meaningful help from either.
Alice
You can all contact Mrshinnnn911 via gmail if anybody here has been scammed before, i got back the $125000 i lost to binary options
Crystal L.
I have been paying in to social security for 20 years for the promise of services when or if I should need them. Now the government is saying they want to cut the services I’ve been paying for. If the government were a company that had promised service for my money, among others, this would be a class action suit for breach of contract. Where is the class action suit, and if there isn’t one, can I start one? Who do I talk to about getting this started?
Robert F.
Someone other than myself has used my ss# for years while she was stealing my RETIREMENT plans help my phone ,COMPUTER and my life have been hacked by SOC.
R.F.
Hello Robert, if you suspect or know of someone committing fraud, we ask you to report it. Thanks!
Frederick R.
Someone tried to file for Social Security benefits in my name. I called the national office and reported this fraud weeks ago. This week, I still find out that the case was still open in the Fairless Hills PA SSA office. I was also told that this situation would be construed as a bad mark on MY records.
Exactly what is OAFP doing to rectify this?
R.F.
We apologize for any inconvenience, Frederic. We have referred your inquiry to our Operations staff to follow up and to take corrective action as necessary. We appreciate your feedback, and thank you for bringing this to our attention.
Shayla
Is lying on your application saying that you don’t receive an income but yet you rent the up stairs part of your house out???????
Judy
Hello, I have a question I hope you can answer because I do not know what is going on. On Jan 12,2018 I went into the Pasadena Texas Social Security office and applied to be my on payee I am on social security retirement now and I spoke with my sister, daughter and my doctor and I asked them to let me take care of my own funds and they all agree that I should take care of my funds, I think I am well enough to handle my own money. Also my sister who has been my payee all this time has retired from her company and her and her husband want to take some vacation time off. So it has been over a month and I call the person who I went in and spoke with the first time I have called her 8 times and still No call back. Then I went into the office a second time after a month and a few days and I waited there for a couple of hours finally I talked to a lady at that time and she didn’t see any changes to my account and could not tell me anything either. . So I am asking what could be taking so long to change my current payee to me. I have brought a doctors note and I am under his care. I would appreciate if you could let me know the process for payee change. Because the lady I first applied with said it should only take about 3 weeks. It is Feb 25, way over the 3 weeks. Thank you so much..
R.F.
We apologize for the delay, Judy. We have referred your complaint to our Operations staff to follow up and to take corrective action as necessary. We appreciate your feedback, and thank you for bringing this to our attention.
Matthew M.
My sister and her boyfriend stealing my moms social security money. Please call matt 215 303 9578. I have the statements they spend at casino. Parx. Many yrs. Thousands. Need help to nail these criminals
R.F.
Hello Matthew, we take allegations of fraud very seriously. If you suspect fraud, waste or abuse of Social Security benefits, we encourage you to report it. We thank you for helping us fight fraud!