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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Caril
I am 81 and have been on Social Security for several years. None of my info is changing. Do I need to do anything before the 31st?
Bill s.
No, you do not have to do anything, but it would be wise if you have someone to probably help you create an account on the website SSA.gov in case you have to change your bank some day, because you will not be able to make changes over the phone at the end of this month.
June D.
I need to have amount deducted for income tax changed to a larger amount.
Cheray
Social security for years has been Jonny on the spot with bouncing people out of the system because of extra money made, if a person has direct deposit and dies, social security will get that money right out of the account, that was deposited. My question is, where’s the fraud? You people have no problem taking money from the working and deceased. Where’s the fraud with the people? Check the politicians.
Paul
Why??? Just pay the amount due on your yearly Federal Income Tax filing return. Using your Social Security income stream to adjust your tax withholdings might not be a good idea anyways. If you have other earnings, try to use those accounts with new WP-4 Withholding for increases. Unless your are making a great deal of money in the Social Security pension system, I wouldn’t worry about the amount you are having withheld. In the end, you should also WANT to owe the IRS money, not get any back.
Kay
My bank sold out to a different bank so this summer the name and the danged routing number will be changing. With all the turmoil I’m really concerned that something will happen to my Social Security deposit.
Patricia V.
Log into your Social Security account and edit your current banking contact information to avoid interruption in your benefits.
If you do not have an account, register.
Christie R.
For years the SSA has been accurate, helpful, professional, and a life saver. Now under the Trump administration the SSA is in danger from our own President. Shame! If we’re looking for waste, fraud, and abuse, look at the Trump administration and their greed. Leave the SSA alone. Don’t fire anyone. Don’t close any offices. We do vote unless that gets taken away too.
NSP
Why is finding fraud such a threat to anyone? We will all be better and Pay less taxes.The President wants to lower our deficit so that we won’t have to borrow money from other foreign governments to pay our government debts. Why is it so hard to understand? He doesn’t personally need our money. He is trying to terminate fraud and corruption that has existed for many years. I thank him
Theresa
Fraud is bad and illegal. If there is all this fraud why hasn’t anyone been charged? Why is everything shrouded in this cloak of security? This is only a way to privatize Social Security and I resent being treated as an idiot who cannot see what is happening.
Thomas S.
Why aren’t you honest? Musk/Trump are destroying social security from the inside by office closures and new rules concerning in person sign up at social security offices. This so called search for fraud is just a cover so that our congressman can vote for a $4.2 billion dollar tax cut for the billionaires.
Patricia V.
Yes, very greedy Congressmen who care only about themselves and their wasteful, lavish lifestyles while we the citizens die in some ditch!
Patricia V.
Yes, very greedy Congressmen who care only about themselves and their wasteful, lavish lifestyles while we the citizens die in some ditch!
This is one statement.
Spencer
That’s a LIE!! It’s a ploy to make it so difficult for seniors and the poor so they get dropped from SSI!!
Nancy
The President doesn’t put our SSA in danger. He is making it insolvent by getting rid of waste, fraud and abuse. Please read all about what DOGE found out already. You’ll be surprise and thankful the DOGE is doing it.
Theresa
There has not been one charge of fraud. If he found all this illegal activity then why won’t he share that information with Congress and the American people. It is a smoke screen to privatize Social Security.
Dee
“He is making it insolvent by getting rid of… .” Ummm… … do you understand the meaning of the word “insolvent?”
tina m.
What have you had taken away exactly?
Tracy S.
They should make the only way to change. Your banking information is by going into a social security office. And giving them a check or routing number.
Robert G.
And how do you suggest a person bed bound, or with severe dimentia, or housed in a memory care faucility “go into an office”? These are just some of the use cases that architexts of these new procedures should have published before releasing to the public.
Tony M.
Stop reducing size of the SS workforce especially while instituting new rules limiting phone access.
Scott
They only eliminated ONE telephone option. Nothing else has changed.
RJ
They’re also closing offices so that sounds like the making of a dumpster fire. “Come in to change this info, but we’ve closed the closest office to you”. Not sure if you’ve ever had to go into your local office but it can be a hellish ordeal without things being fucked with. I can only imagine what it will be like when Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum are done with it.
DP
I totally agree with what you’re saying!
Emily L.
💯
Margaret L.
I got an email saying my appt is by phone. Is this true?
Irizarry
No, they don’t send emails, be careful, don’t place information online, I think it’s going to the social security website, or finding a office close to you
Teddy B.
Thank you for the work you do for all of us. We appreciate you and hope the administration does not plunder the agency in ways that will negatively impact us and remove the great employees who work for the agency.
Aileen N.
To change my profile info, I had to call the Help Desk. After 20 min. I pressed the option for a call back. 3 hrs later I noticed I had received a call back 50 minutes ago. I didn’t realize my phone was on silence! I suggest a reminder during call back choice to have phone on silence. I called again & waited almost 2 hrs. Once I spoke with an agent, my questions were answered completely.
Thomas M.
For several months my ssi payment went direct to my BANK.Now the ss ofice says they put my pay on a direct express card and sent it to some address I don’t reside at.W.T.F.?
Shalom R.
Sounds like you may have been scammed or defrauded by someone calling SSA and PRETENDING, to be you. Call SSA and have them stop issuing any payments to the card. Ask them to reinstate your direct deposit. And you calling a credit bureau and request a fraud alert be placed on your main social security number and address. This is a free service. I had to do it once when I found out my social security number was exposed on the dark net. By putting it on one credit bureau with automatically goes to all the others. The alert lasts one year sometimes more depending on your personal situation. You can always extend it for a cost. The downside of the alert is that it will make it a little harder to you to open new accounts but I never found that a problem. Good luck all the best.
b
I already have direct deposit thru Direct Express debit card
Do I need to make any changes?
Mimi
I hope you get this fixed soon.
Someone must have made some sort of error.
Paul
Sounds like someone “Scammed” your account with the SSA and changed your “good address” to a “scam address” to now receive that debit card with your monthly monies in it. So sorry for you. You will need to get to a SSA office darn quck and fix this.