Frauds & Scams

Update to New Online Security

August 15, 2016 • By

Reading Time: 1 Minute

Last Updated: November 3, 2023

MFAOn July 30, 2016, Social Security began requiring new and current my Social Security account holders to sign into their account using a one-time code sent via text message. This second layer of security that requires more than a username and a password is known as “multifactor authentication.” We recently mandated this second layer of security to comply with the President’s Executive Order on Improving the Security of Consumer Financial Transactions. We implemented it aggressively because we have a fundamental responsibility to protect the public’s personal information.

Our aggressive implementation resulted in some of our customers being unable to access their personal my Social Security accounts.  We listened to the public’s concerns, and have temporarily rolled back this mandate.

As before July 30, current account holders will be able to access their secure account using only their username and password. We highly recommend the extra security text message option, but it will not be required. Now, we are developing an alternative authentication option, besides text messaging, that we will implement within the next six months.

We strive to balance security and customer service options, and we want to ensure that our online services are both easy to use and secure. The best way to secure your information is to create a personal my Social Security account. If a person already has an account, a fraudulent attempt to create an account would be unsuccessful. The my Social Security service has always featured a robust verification and authentication process, and it remains safe and secure.

We regret any inconvenience you may have experienced. Open or access your personal my Social Security account today.

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About the Author

Jim Borland, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Communications

Jim Borland, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Communications

Comments

  1. Francene S.

  2. Lolita F.

    There must be an expanded services extended to members claimants outside the usa. Contacting the system outside the us is really a problem. I got problem with my benefits and I am outside the country. I need to talk to somebody but all I heard as voice recorder. I don’t believe somebody will call me back within 48 hours if I leave my name and phone number. If it is existing then make a reply to this message.

    • Ray F.

      Hi Lolita. For assistance related to your Social Security benefits, please contact your local U.S. embassy or consulate. Also, our Office of International Operations home page provides more information to assist our customers living abroad. We hope this information helps.

  3. Don

    My problem is that even though I have a cell phone and am willing to do the extra security, I am in a dillemma about the added security options.
    1: I don’t have a credit card and only use a debit card/
    2: I am on SSDI and so I don’t get a 1099 or a W2 and haven’t for more than the required 5 years previous.
    3: I am obviously not self employed.

    With this, there is no way to add the extra security even if I wanted. So will there be other options for someone like me who really want to continue to access our accounts?

    • Ray F.

      Update! We removed the requirement to use a cell phone to access your #mySocialSecurity account. While it’s not mandatory, we encourage those of you who have a text capable cell phone to take advantage of this optional extra security, which has always been available. We continue to pursue more options beyond cell phone texting. We apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced. http://bit.ly/20nvsaI

  4. Dissappointed T.

    Unbelievable that you screwed up this badly or at all with something so basic as MFA. There are many many ways to “add an additional layer of security” – first of all you dont give users only 1 option. Complete failure. Next time and whenever this “temporary backout” ends, please also give users more than 1 day notice. Also, please fire the PM who was in charge of this – which I am sure wont happen.

    • Ray F.

      Update! We removed the requirement to use a cell phone to access your #mySocialSecurity account. While it’s not mandatory, we encourage those of you who have a text capable cell phone to take advantage of this optional extra security, which has always been available. We continue to pursue more options beyond cell phone texting. We apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced. http://bit.ly/20nvsaI

  5. JACK W.

    I cannot get logged into my account anyway.

    I am presently unable to visit a social security office

    Each time I request a new password via the sign-in, the response is unable etc.. contact your local social security office.

    A new temporary password to my email address would be appreciated.

    • Ray F.

      Hi Jack, if you are having difficulties with your personal my Social Security account, and cannot visit your local Social Security office, try calling our 1-800-772-1213 for assistance. After you hear “Briefly tell me why you are calling,” say “Help Desk” for help with a my Social Security account. We hope this helps.

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  7. DIEUDONNE M.

    please tell me how i do to get my own ssa ,am current resident in san francisco california states ,street adress Lake Hills 94118 phone number 2086438415 .Thank you for our help and support

    • Kenny O.

      Hello Kamga. A great place to start would be the Social Security website at http://www.socialsecurity.gov. There you will find information on the various administered benefits as well as details on how to obtain a New Or Replacement Social Security Number And Card. In addition, Social Security representatives are available at 1-800-772-1213 to answer your questions between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. business days. Hope this helps.

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  9. tammy

    Online Security does not matter because the Socialist Security System will still use outdated rules to justify it’s outright discrimination against certain people. It doesn’t matter if you live inside or outside the US, the Socialist Security system can’t even fix an outdated “RULE” that they use to justify discrimination against physically disabled people.

    If you are a physically disabled person (an adult disabled child) and you happen to marry an “able bodied person” you will be loosing out on a lifetime of benefits, all because of a one word “rule” that prohibits you from marrying an “able bodied person”. Best of all, they never tell you about their “Rule” so that they can justify cutting off any benefits that you may be due.

    Because you are physically disabled (adult disabled child) and you choose not to marry another adult disabled child or disabled person drawing off socialist security, you WILL LOOSE ANY AND ALL BENEFITS FOR LIFE. This means that the SOCIALIST SECURITY system is TELLING YOU WHO YOU ARE ALLOWED TO MARRY and who you are
    NOT ALLOWED TO MARRY! It is a discriminatory act “rule” and should be ILLEGAL!

    Even though I am permanently and totally disabled, if I marry an “able bodied person”, somehow that marriage makes everything ok and I am no longer considered disabled (in the eyes of the socialist security system). Magically (because I married an able bodied person), the pixie fairies come down and cure my disability, because now I can just go out and find gainful employment, no one will discriminate against my physical disability and everything will be grand, right? Somehow magically, marrying an able bodied person makes my physical disablility dissappear and now I am cured, right? WRONG!

    The issue is a special “Rule” that the Socialist Security System uses to discriminate against “certain” people. If you are a “physically disabled person” (AKA-certain people) and happen to marry an able bodied person, then the SOCIALIST SECURITY system will use special “Rules” to legally discriminate against you and deny you benefits, even if you appeal online.

    The SOCIALIST SECURITY system has caused me a lot of economic hardship all because I married an able bodied person. The SOCIALIST SECURITY system thinks someone who is physically disabled (permanently and totally disabled) marries an “able bodied person”, that somehow magically they are cured of their physical disability and two people can survive off the able bodied persons income. WOW, talk about a bunch of bureaucratic idiotic thinking, that somehow this would not cause a financial hardship….. amazing.

    The rules that the Social Security Administration uses to legally discriminate against persons who are “Adult Disabled Children” who happen to marry an able bodied person, are discriminatory. This is loosely referred to as the “marriage penalty” but I call it exactly what it is, a legal form of discrimination.
    I firmly believe this rule, is an act of bias, prejudice and discrimination against people who (by no fault of their own) are born disabled and happen to marry an able bodied person

    Please write your Congressional Representative and tell them to end this modern day form of Legal Discrimination. In this day of fairness and equality, there are still some people suffering from an outdated and oppressive bureaucratic rule.

    (PS. notice how the only thing any of these SOCIALIST SECURITY workers ever say are quotes of the rules or processes, like a worker drone. They are unable to address any topics that fall outside of their rule books). Typical bureaucracy and bureaucratic responses, like trying to argue over lost change with a vending machine!

  10. Phyll

    Isn’t there someway you can delete the comments that do not relate to the issue? I really like to read the comments but it is very burdensome when you must scroll through so many that do not even pertain to the actual article.

    Thank you

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