Disability, Frauds & Scams, General, Retirement, Survivors

Social Security Takes Fraud Seriously

June 15, 2015 • By

Reading Time: 1 Minute

Last Updated: August 19, 2021

An identity thief holds a Social Security card in front of a keyboardOne 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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About the Author

Phil Gambino, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Communications

Assistant Deputy Commissioner for Communications

Comments

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  2. john d.

    How about fraud committed by SSA. Inaccurate information, incompetence, lack of transparency, no sense of mission statement of helping people. A ridiculously low resource level that does not match inflation. A rigid draconian system with no human element. Lack of respect and dignity for the people who have the least amount of power of influence. Every member of Congress and the Senate should be forced to go through the system to have a first hand experience of the dismal and broken condition of SSA. Even with the paper reduction act, I have a half of a forest pile of never ending paper work piling up. I have no email contact except the lame customer contact email which takes way too long for a reply and only offers vague and generic answers. Nobody grows up hoping to one day be on disability, and I would not wish this depressing experience upon anybody. Good luck to all who have the misfortune to need this so called safety net which is full of very big holes.

  3. Gary

    One of the most ridiculous aspects of this article is that while it states that SSA is serious about fraud, there is a blanket policy against the use of social media when evaluating disability claims! When one files for public benefits and posts their activities on social media, those activities are relevant. Most other federal agencies have no such ban, nor do most state courts. One of the dumbest policies in existence.

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  5. Wendy

    I have a small business and customers come to change their checks with me, three days ago I noticed that some of the checks I been cashing are made to a person with a fake name and fake social security number. can that affect me in any way since I have deposited does checks in my account?

  6. Teresa

    My dad is disabled and receives a $1200 Social Security check for me. I moved in with my mother in August of 2015. He is still receiving my check and I only get $100 a month from him. Is this okay? Should he be getting my check even though I don’t live with him?

    • Nathan

      That check belongs to you!! I went through the exact same thing. At first my father never even told me about the check. Until one day someone found out he was on ssn and asked me how much I got?? So long story short I asked he told me and ever since I got the check. Even had the check sent to me instead. This is in Alabama. All states might be different. Does he have custody of you? If so then technically he doesn’t have to give it to you. But if someone else has custody of you or your older than 18 and still in college than you are definitely due this money!!!! I even had to fill out a form once every 6 months to prove where the money was going penny for penny. Hope this helps

  7. David

    I have a family member that get social security and spends all of his money on drugs made report and nothing was done what is really happening with our country this people that have aids are claiming they cant work and the doctors should be evaluating the aids person alot of them are way to health to be at home

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  9. Felicia

    What makes me SICK are the millions of people that receive disability that DON’T need it at all. No doubt, there are ones who most definitely deserve it. I see it all the time these supposed disabled people collecting. I have someone in my family she’s 47 and has only worked maybe 4 years of her life and manages to be able to get on disability all the time. Yet she does drugs (been in and out of jail I can’t tell you how many times), smokes, drinks, goes from food bank to food bank. She can be classified as being disabled for OCC but she can do all this. I feel if you’d make the brunt of these people work they would not have the time to keep on getting into trouble!! Leave it for the people who REALLY need it including the senior citizens who REALLY deserve SSI too!!

  10. Jonathan M.

    I work at a small pawn shop. Upwards of 90% of my customers are getting monthly government benefits. Many claim disability (and even boast about it) for non-existent illness. Almost all are collecting various welfare programs and healthcare. All seem to have more disposable cash, nicer cars, phones, and so forth that I can afford working 40+ hours a week. In my opinion anyone under 50 applying for disability should face serious scrutiny and random audits. Meanwhile if you’re getting any sort of “welfare” checks and you’ve got a newer car registered to your name that also should warrant a serious inspection. The fact of the matter is so far as I can see most of the recipients of these services are in better financial shape than I am, and I won’t even go into the insane tax “refunds” that they seem to get every year. In short, the system is more abused than used and due for a serious overhaul.

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