SSA to begin 'stronger' ID verification for recipients
By: Johnathan Limhouse
USA Today
..... To better protect against fraudulent claims, the Social Security Administration announced it will be implementing "stronger identity verification procedures," including requiring millions of recipients and applicants to physically go to agency filed offices instead of verifying their identity over the phone.
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The new policy goes into effect March 31. [2025]
..... "Americans deserve to have their Social Security records protected with the utmost integrity and vigilante," Lee Dudek, acting commissioner of the SSA, said Tuesday. [03/18/2025] "For far too long, the agency has sued antiquated methods for providing identity. Social Security can better protect Americans while expediting service."
..... The Online "My Social Security" account service requires Online proof of identity. People who do not or cannot use that site will be able to start their claim for benefits on the phone, the agency said. However, according to the SSA, the claim cannot be finalized until the claimant visits a local office to prove there identity.
..... The SSA recommends that people without Online access call an agency field office and request an in-person appointment to initiate and complete the claim in one interaction. whether an individual has an appointment or not, they will need to prove their identity before beginning a transaction, according to the agency.
..... SSA employees, including front-line workers in all offices across the U.S., have been told to work in the office five days a week. The agency said the in-office policy "ensures maximum staffing is available to support the stronger in-person identity proofing requirements."
..... Another change includes the agency expediting the processing of all direct deposit requires to one business day, the SSA said. Before this update, Online direct deposit changes were held for 30 days, the agency added.
..... President Donald Trump and White House adviser Elon Musk have both raised concerns about potential fraud within the SSA. While speaking with Fox Business' Larry Kudlow last week, [03/12/2025] Musk said the Department of Government Efficiency was tapped to hire 100 people who would expand and oversee nearly every government agency.
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Musk alleged fraud at multiple agencies, including the SSA, despite the allegations being widely debunked.
..... "What we're adding here is caring and competence," he said in the interview. "There's a massive amount of fraud of, basically people submitting Social Security numbers for Social Security benefits, unemployment, Small Business Administration loans and medical ... those are fake Social Security numbers or they've stolen somebody else's Social Security number. We're trying to put a stop to all of that."
..... Trump echoed those claims at his address to Congress on March 4 [2025] and in an interview of Fox News; "Sunday Morning Futures."
..... "I'm not going to touch Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid. Now, we're going to get fraud out of there," Trump said. "Everybody wants us to get the fraud out, and therefore you'll make it better."
..... Contributing: Joey Garsion, Medora Lee and Kinsey Crowley, USA Today