Correcting the Record About Social Security Direct Deposit and Telephone Services
Reading Time: 1 MinuteLast Updated: March 26, 2025
Recent reports in the media that Social Security plans to eliminate telephone services are inaccurate. SSA is increasing its protection for America’s seniors and other beneficiaries by eliminating the risk of fraud associated with changing bank account information by telephone.
SSA continuously investigates and analyzes potential threats to strengthen and secure our programs and protect people who receive benefits. Approximately 40 percent of Social Security direct deposit fraud is associated with someone calling SSA to change direct deposit bank information. SSA’s current protocol of simply asking identifying questions by telephone is no longer enough to prevent fraud.
If someone needs to change their bank account information on SSA’s record, they will need to either:
- Use two-factor authentication with SSA’s “my Social Security” service; or
- Visit a local Social Security office to prove their identity.
These methods align with most major banks.
All other SSA telephone services remain unchanged.
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Devin C.
Thanks so much
Bernie
Please share your wait times when calling SSA. My last call said wait time approximately 120 minutes! Great service my ass.
Kerry
And then they hang up on you
VL H.
People all over America depend upon SSA for its many services. We stand with the Administration as rumors and misstatements proliferate. Social Security helped my family after my father died when I was 12, and helps me today with retirement income. To all the people who work to make the Administration work, thank you and know you are appreciated across the nation.
catglass
Well, I certainly support our public employees. They are working under horrible circumstances right now. I was a public servant for over 20 years, and understand.
I agree that millions of us rely on Social Security and related programs for much of our income. However, far too many of us (including everyone I know) are waiting months and sometimes years to actually get the benefits we have been paying for all of our working lives.
Here’s a true experience. My spouse died on March 15. The Social Security benefits were deposited electronically to our bank, as they have been for at least 15 years, on March 17th.
Thank goodness I use online banking and check our account regularly. Social Security took back the payment on March 21. This is despite the fact that Social Security benefits are based on the previous month. In short, the March 17th payment was actually for February. Why take it back?
I did not receive a notice that the funds had been taken (stolen) from our JOINT account from our local bank of 20 years, Social Security, or anyone else. I finally received a letter on April 7th from SS informing me that the payment had been “withheld”. Thank goodness I am tech-savvy and can afford a computer and Internet. Otherwise I would have written a $2,000+ paper check to the funeral home, and been dinged for NSF charges from the bank, Social Security, and probably some other agency.
I called Social Security and got a very nice agent after a two-hour hold time. These long holds are nothing new, but at least they weren’t illegally taking money from recipients.
I was informed that I had been scheduled for a telephone appointment on MAY 20th! It would only take 5 minutes. And I would not be receiving any benefits until then. I asked why this was even necessary, and was told that it was simply a new regulation.
I fully expect to be told that I will still have to wait for an in-person appointment after another two month long wait. So I will be waiting a total of at least 4 months to receive any funds, and cannot plan a budget without knowing how much I will be allowed from just the deceased’s account. And nothing from my own account into which I paid for 40 years.
This is just cruel. I was also told by my PCP that there will probably not be any Covid vaccines available this autumn. The current administration does not believe in them despite all evidence to the contrary. I can tell you that they already saved us after every other member of our family contracted it at a nursing home where they insisted that the ill senior be transferred after a hospital stay. None of the nurses or staff were wearing masks. Cases on the 30-bed “Medicare” floor of the nursing home shot from 2 to 11 cases in two days. No one on the self-pay floor was infected. Every other non-vaccinated person who visited our relative suffered horrible symptoms after testing positive. We two vaccinated seniors had no symptoms whatsoever even though we tested positive for a full month. And don’t get me started on the other differences in care given to the elderly by medical personnel and hospitals. Up to and including extreme pressure to sign a “do not recussitate” form. At one point I was literally “ganged up on” by FIVE “social workers” and told to sign the form since I had Power of Attorney. The patient was unable to sign due to being dosed with Seroquel, AKA “The Medical Straitjacket” without any authorization of which I am aware. And they were not violent people in any way.
Every person I know our age has experienced similar treatment and experiences.
Considering all of this, plus it taking the intervention of a Long Term Care ombudsman and an attorney to even get the senior out of the nursing home during a serious Covid outbreak, elderly citizens in this country are now experiencing what can only be described as Senior Genocide.
My advice? Write to your congressional delegation if you have one who is even literate. Get an attorney. And above all, don’t get old. You certainly won’t be getting any support from most younger people. We are no longer considered contributing members of society.
Kathy S.
But you are closing offices. How does this help the 80 year old Trump voter in Missoula, Montana after you close that office and he can’t make the 113 mile (one way) trip to Helena and don’t even try to explain two-factor authorization to someone with no internet connection. Maybe you need to reconsider closing those offices, especially in the rural areas.
Barb F.
They closed the SSA office in Kalispell too…Over a three hour drive to nearest SSA office and then not sure if you can see anyone. My family member on SS benefits doesn’t have broadband and doesn’t know what two factor authentication is and we live too far away to help them.
Barb F.
You are right Kathy S. and they closed the Kalispell, Mt SSA office as well. So, over a 3 hour drive and no guarantee to even see anyone. Many in rural areas do not even have Broadband. There are seniors that are not tech savvy and don’t know what two factor authorization is…we live too far away to help out in person.
Rachel P.
As long as they don’t take away my money. I don’t want to be homeless.
Delores B.
I already have a Social security account. Do I make another one?
Eugene W.
No you just need to follow the steps to create the two-factor authentication at the “my Social Security”
Use two-factor authentication with SSA’s “my Social Security” service;
Cindy V.
Is there a way to find out my new social security amount after the WEP adjustment? I would appreciate any information….
Thank you,
Cindy Vickery
Carey L.
https://www.ssa.gov/ssi
This site will show you the amount of benefits and or call the local SSI and ask for an email to field your inquiry
C.B.
Hi Cindy. Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. Anyone whose monthly benefit is adjusted, or who will get a retroactive payment, will receive a mailed notice from Social Security explaining the benefit change or retroactive payment. For more information, visit our Social Security Fairness Act webpage. We hope this helps.
Ang
You call them, or visit them. You’ll be put on hold for hours, at a minimum. They might just hang up on you after you wait a couple of hours too. You could try the callback service, but you usually don’t get a callback. You could also visit an office, but they’re closing a lot of them, so expect to drive at least 2-3 hours to get to one. And expect to wait for hours if you do that. But yeah, they’re all about the customer service. Remember to send a thank you letter to DOGE for making the system so much more efficient; I’m sure the muskrat will love to hear your feedback.
Amanda
What’s the local SSI phone number for Washington county MN?
C.B.
Hi, Amanda. Thanks for using our blog and for your question. You can find information for your local Social Security office by using the Social Security Office Locator. We hope this helps!
Andwella S.
This is outrageous. Seniors are often not digitally literate so don’t use the web or have limited knowledge. In person would have been great it proposed prior to closing so many offices. You are CLOSING a HUGE number of offices so where are they to go if in a more rural area? If they are even mobile and not home-bound. If you need more by telephone do that! Fraud is important but you need a better solution.
Carey L.
Exactly and or provide those applicants that cannot drive with public free transportation
Gary
Why did this take so long for the change???
Carey L.
Because it’s not needed
Super D.
Why hasn’t Gary’s question been answered?
Just kidding – I agree, it’s about time!