I was trying to get a job. My employer used E-Verify to verify my eligibility to work, but they couldn't verify me. I went to SSA office and to my surprise, their record shows I'm deceased for two years. I can understand errors can be introduced during data entry. But how IRS can accept tax returns from dead person? I thought they use super computers to audit people and I thought they are very good at it. But obviously, they are totally incompetent.
Consumer Complaints & Reviews


They denied my claim because they said I had worked for a motel about a year ago. It has been well over 10 years since I worked at the motel.

I received a native card, with my last social security check, stating in part that I received a 3.6% increase, due to inflation over a three year period (2009-2012). The card said, if I was dissatisfied to write to the SSA. However, there was no address to send it to. Of course, the facts of the case is the federal government claims, that all this time, there has been very little inflation, but this is only true, if you don't buy anything like gasoline, food, and utilities, otherwise, the actual inflation rate is about 30-40%, and this hurts fixed income citizens.
To use inflation to steal from the Americans is really criminal, and of course, what Jefferson was talking about, when he said that if the banks or government is allowed to inflate the money of our country, then, and I quote "our children's children will be orphans in their own country that we fought for". I am a veteran, so I did serve my country directly,and indirectly. I hope this is helping you understand the dire situation recipients of social security are in today in the USA.

I'm 64 and in March, I'll be 65. I have applied for the social security that I paid for all my working years. However, the clerks at the social security office said that I am not qualified because I committed a felony. Of course, I feel that the monies accumulated for all these working years are going to the Feds and not to me or my beneficiaries. No wonder, some people act crazy and commit terrorist acts against the social security buildings and IRS structures.

We received a letter regarding the deduction for Med D Rx Plan coverage to begin January 1, 2012. We had a question about the dates, December/January, not knowing the distinction that insurance premiums are not a month behind. We have an SS office in our neighborhood, and I decided to wait in person to inquire. Big mistake. I was fine with the 45 minute wait. What went "south" was the unpleasant policies in the office and what ensued. The guard's job is to inform people to sign in and obtain a number and also to keep the peace. This he does by telling people who have a question to sit down and keeping cell phones off. Two staff women were on duty helping the roomful of people. One was considerate and helpful as I watched the goings on. One 'customer' had a very complicated case and was at the window for half an hour. One other young lady had the rest all that while.
When I got my turn, I had her and got the following from our exchange. She wouldn't help me because the letter was addressed to my husband. My question was not generic and she would not look up his account. She would not let me make an appointment for himhe had to do this in person. I was fully prepared for what followed because I had read it on the TV screen. Basically, any form of civil disobedience would be dealt with; your removal and arrest are never allowed in any SS office. I complained, "That's ridiculous," and banged my hand on the desk. The guard was right on it. I said I'm leaving. I knew he would be escorting me out. The last address I got from the agent was, "I'm done." She refused to speak to me.
I happen to be a nice person and I know these employees deserve respect. Still, the office culture is mean and indifferent. A past experience with agents in the same office but in the "back" is that they were extremely smart, helpful, kindly and knowledgeable. In the front room, they think they are professional when in fact I describe it as a backwater. I got the help I needed on the phone with a return call from SS about 6 p.m. The agent was well- educated, well-informed and very nice. She talked to me without needing my husband and took care of everything in less than 5 minutes. I'm writing this email because I consider it a formal complaint against a really unhelpful and mean experience.
The MVA in Columbia and the MVA in Greenbelt used to be a nightmare. They have been shaken up and are now run much better. All the difference in the world. I want to see the Columbia SS office shaken up. It's nasty and unpleasant. Our taxes are paying all of their salaries and I am a dissatisfied customer. People hate going there. Well, I certainly do.

I did not receive my direct deposit immediately last night into the Bank until this morning. It is a big problem. I went to an ATM & as a result that the bank had not registered my deposit, I suffered a Insufficient Funds Penalty immediately. I do not feel that this is a mistake of Social Security. Social Security could not be faulted because they were not transferring account between 2:27 AM & 5:00 AM this morning. How is it that the bank can cause this type of losses?

I applied for SS retirement and was sent my first check to my bank, however, the second and subsequent checks were not sent. I called the SS office and a men calling himself Bob was very rude and said because I had committed a felony, I was no longer eligible. Please notify all social security qualifiers that all the money that is paid to the social security throughout the hard working years may be in jeopardy because of a felony. I exposed my life in Vietnam, Panama, Granada and Dessert Storm and only received one lousy check from all the money that I paid throughout the years.

I filed for disability for my daughter in 2010, she has already been declared disabled by Disability Determinations. I have found the SSA to be biased and cold. My self-employment income was counted as unearned income. My request for reconsideration that the income be counted as self-employment was denied before I was allowed to submit the documents they asked for. The claims rep stated in an email (which I have copies of) to central office "I don't know how to get her to comply because she is not already getting benefits" and "are you saying in the Note sections this would exclude the income?
I find it personally very disturbing that the SSA would exclude such large amounts of income!" when in fact I have proof, the signed document we were both waiting on was not in my hands at the time, because it was being signed and dated by the appropriate parties. My hearing before an ALJ was a joke, switching judges at the last minute this new judge was hostile and didn't even know what the case was about, had read none of the evidence in the file, and did not follow code of conduct expected by such a judge. I have found the SSA system overall to be extremely inefficient and biased. We waste more money on call centers, paperwork, appeals and denials then if we actually granted individuals benefits they deserve.

I filed an application for my disability in 1993, I received benefits. The onset WAD is before age 22. In 2009, SSA mandated I file another application on the DIN, which was denied. Then they asked for my mother's SSN for the Disabled Adult Child (DAC), they denied that one as well. So I filed an appeal on the DAC claim and SSA decided, "No you will file on the DIN." As I investigate, I find my mom's SSN is on the Ticket to Work which has been used since 1993, SSA says they can use my mother's SSN as well. I found that before 1995, SSA and HHS was one body and they had stolen my grandmother's estate and allowed HHS to report my grandmother was incompetent and had no children born or living. This was 1976. And then in 1991, the IRS, while my grandma was OB Medicaid and other welfare, the United States sued grandma for back taxes on her stolen estate. Social Security is a criminal and it will take two committed persons to bring a $570 billion class action for theft and deceit by USA. I'm an enemy as I been told by SSA.
They said I have discrete mental impairment, which I never knew or was treated for they also stopped benefits and medical, which I was being treated for hepatitis C. They have sent police to my house because of complaints saying I'm suicidal and they have place slanderous info in my SSA file. But guess what, I will be victorious by just telling SSA God will resolve this and what you (SSS) is coming to light. This you can rest upon. Also, I filed 17 appeals or reconsideration and never got a hearing, then got one and its riddled with due process violations and other violations systemic in SSA. All victims of SSA stand up and file class actions. If interested in class action suit, contact me if you're an advocate for justice.

I applied in our local social security office in Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair, NJ for a new card since I changed my status and name. Since July 6, 2011, I still don't have my card, and every time I called them, I was redirected to the person in charge, but it's always a voice mail. I left a message a couple of times but no return calls were made. The person who answers my call even told me one time to come down to the office again and show my evidences again. Another guy says to bring my passport and re-apply again, but when I went there, the girl says she can't do anything about it since it's already in process.
Why is it that one is saying another thing and one person saying different things. I even have to excuse myself from work and get no pay on that day because I have to come down since they close at 3:30 pm.

I have been flagged for a conversation I had with a customer service representative over 10 years ago. According to whatever was posted, I am assuming that the customer service representative has been instructed to discontinue the call if I become irate in any form. This has not been the case, every time I call I am rudely handled, yelled at, and if I try to ask a question about my benefits or anything else, I am cut off then mistreated verbally followed by the call being disconnected. This has become my experience every time I call. They have actually gone as far as telling me I have to report to my local office.
When I arrived, I am handed one of the notices that was received in the mail thus having no reason to be in the facility in the first place. I am tired of being mistreated please listen to my last nine and even more calls to see what I am talking about. I am a mentally disabled patient being abused by the Social Security Administration staff. My anger derives from people mistreating me all of my life as well as my psychological disorder. So, to combat this with combative customer service representatives when I am not myself handling them in this manner worsen my disorder. I don't know why anyone would want to taunt anyone who deals with what I have to deal with mentally. Everyday is a struggle for me to understand everyone. I am not blaming anyone for my problems and everyone is not against me but when you allow this behavior when I'm trying so desperately hard is unimaginable.

I received mother's benefits from my deceased husband's record. In 2010, I made $1972.00 over the limit to receive my benefits by working. In June 2011, I received a letter from Social Security that I made too much money. I called and made arrangements with them to overpay $1972.00 at $300.00 a month for 7 months, beginning August 2011. I have a letter from Social Security Administration dated July 17, 2011, stating these were acceptable arrangements. On July 3, 2011, I didn't receive any mother's benefits. After several phone calls, I finally received $585.00 on 7/14/11. On August 3, 2011, I received only $300.00 for mother's benefits. After several phone calls again, I finally received $285.00 on 8/26/11. On September 3, 2011, I received $585.00 for mother's benefits. On September 12, 2011, I received a letter from Social Security Administration, stating that I was overpaid benefits in July 2011 by $285.00.

She sent me an application with her name on it. I called the number and it was routed to a call center. There was Ms. ** but she hides in the office, denying claims and has so much power than the president. She snoops into your personal records and classification, and then she says if you are a felon, you will not get SSI. Even if you are not, you are but in the system. As whistle blower, she is probably collecting checks from denials and the dead. I feel something fishy is up. Will someone look into it, and how can I get my name cleared from her database?

My husband and I filed our 2010 income tax return on Tuesday 2-15-11. On Wednesday, 2-23-11, I checked the status of my return only to find my return rejected (IRS Code #**). I called SSA and they informed me that my birth date information was incorrect and that I had to resolve it. I asked how this happened and was informed that in 1995, I requested a new SS card, due to being recently married, and that it was probably a (SSA) clerical error. SSA, the same origination that committed the error, told me to resubmit the required documents and SSA would make the correction.
Now, I file taxes every year, never have I been informed that my birthday was incorrect. Why this year was it discovered? There has been no activity to my SS information since I was married in August 1994.

I contacted J. ** by phone as instructed in a letter from her dated Jan 3, 2011. She immediately was cold and pert. She asked if she could put me on hold and I began to say, "I have a question" then she put me on hold anyway without saying anything else. When she returned, I told her that I tried to get her attention before she put me on hold and she said, "I know I heard you, but I don't have time for that, I have other appointments". I asked her why she was treating me so rudely and she told me to just answer her questions. I said that I felt I was being mistreated and wanted to talk to someone else and she said that that wasn't going to happen. I asked to speak to her manager and she said she would give me her manager's information at the end of the call. I again said I did not want to continue the conversation with her, she hung up. I called back and again requested a manager and she again hung up.

My mother worked in the U.S.A. since I was born. Now, I am 19 years old and my mother died when I was 16. I didn't know anything about Social Security benefits. I found out about it when I was 19. When I went there, they denied me but said that I do have money held up. I just can't get it because I am just 19. That's absurd. I deserve that money. My mom worked her entire life to make sure that I was fed. Now, she's gone and I am hopeless.

I have been on social security for ten years now. They tried to stop it without reason and they did not send me a letter to let me know. Even with my cancer, 5 back surgeries, asthma, and high blood pressure, they sent me a letter and asked me to work for a couple of months. I could not work, so they decided to stop my SSI, which was not right. I was talked to as if I were a dog and I was told that it was my problem that I couldn't work anymore. So what do I do about this situation?

In Dec.1980, I was a passenger in an accident that almost severed my left hand, with nerve damage to the right hand, Traumatic Brain Injury (broke jaw three places) when guard rail came through my door post and struck me.
In Jan. of 1982 a car ran over me head-on while on motorcycle. Severe head trauma,left hand again almost severed, fracture left hip, back, **, pelvis, right foot and toes, crushed legs, long bone fractures, contusions and massive blood loss.
I apply for s.s.i./s.s.d., weighing 73lbs., in a wheel chair and needing more surgery after one year heal time. I am denied even 90 day emergency food stamps was told I was not disabled and could still work derricks in the oilfields. I fight this for 28 yrs. I have open heart surgery and file for disability and in the process of appealing the denial, reviewing the files of social security. I find medical records purged, a Judges decision has been changed from "remanded" to "dismissed", claims have been changed or deleted from my file.
I have contacted the O.I.G., sent the evidence of organized criminal action, no response after more than a year. Social Security administration demanding investigation for years, nothing. I am being terrorized by employees of the social security administration and no one will do anything to stop these criminals!

I need help. I have been fighting with the Social Security office for my disability now for 3 years. I am 52 years old. I have worked for 35 years and need help. I don't want to get to the point that I'm wheelchair-bound. I have been denied two times in writing and once by a judge. I was injured at work in July of 2007. While off on medical leave I lost my medical insurance. I was having CAT scans and MRIs done, in which I have against my credit because I lost my insurance.
I was told to call all supervisor and they would help me file for my disability. They told me that I didn't have enough medical documents. I had to get a Harris county card. I have had one lumbar laminectomy in the early 1990s. I returned to work in less than 2 weeks. Since in have been going to this clinic I have only gotten worse. I finally filed at the social security office in 2009. Again I have worked for 35 years and never gotten any assistant from the government. I'm asking for this help to return to work. I have a number of illnesses. I have 15 more years to work till I can fully retire. I depend on pain meds to function in my everyday life.
I don't drive while taking this med. I don't want to have an accident and hurt anyone. While I was injured I was working with elderly patients, I would go to their home and assist them in personal hygiene. I believe that I hurt my back while helping a patient that weighed 300-plus pounds with her bath. I have used all my finances and still fighting for my disability. I also have had some bad experiences with the county clinic that I have been going to. I had a colonoscopy and woke up while the doctor was cutting off polyps. The doctor also left a precancerous polyp there. I had a biopsy of my thyroid which has multiple nodules. They left it there and my father died of throat cancer. I have decided that I'm not going there anymore. This injury has also caused me a lot of family problems and I have to leave my relationship and have no money. I have gone through all my finances and under extreme amount of stress.
I'm getting a lot of run around now, trying to appeal the judge's decision. I had a lawyer that met my lawyer for my review and the judge didn't even have any of my medical records and rescheduled my court date that took 3 months. I went back and didn't know how to answer the questions asked by the judge. Such as when he asked can I do my housework; the answer was yes, but it takes me all day. Can I shop? Yes, but I pay the sackers to carry my groceries to my truck and pay the boy across the street to unload them for me and my daughter puts them up. I look at people that are getting their disability and their able to get a job, but they are just sucking up welfare and not trying to do anything to get a job.
This isn't my case. I have done all I was required to and now they're telling me I will have to wait an additional time. I don't have to time to wait. I think that this just isn't fair. I contacted Congressman Gene Greene's office who referred me to the Pasadena office. Mr. **. I need all my benefits. My SSI, my disability and my back pay. I need this to get out of this abusive situation that I'm in. I have exhausted all my finances and I'm dead broke. I now have to pay taxes on my 401-k that I had to use to live on. I need my Medicaid so I can get the surgeries needed to return to work. And if at all possible, some type of housing that would help me move out. If denied again, I want a letter stating that the government is aware that I will be driving while taking my pain med and muscle relaxers and my antidepressants. So if an accident happens while driving or at work, if I become wheelchair-bound because of my back injuries, the government will take responsibility for this also.
This has caused a great deal of stress. And now I'm told that it could take an additional 90 to 120 days to get another court date. I feel that I should not have to start all over again. I have done what was required of me. I believe that they are just trying to get by without paying back pay.

I am 76 years old. I was called on 11-24-10 by a man claiming to be from the SSA. He told me that I had never changed my maiden name to my married name. He said I needed to go to an SSA office and bring a marriage certificate proving that I had married, so that they could change my name. I went to the Deridder, LA office on 12-7-10, to see if it was true.
The guy told me that my name was my maiden name in their system. I hadn't taken my marriage certificate, so he said to come back later. He said that it was a coincidence because the lady ahead of me had the same problem, only she was married in 1950. I was married in 1952! My husband died in 1993, and I have been getting SSA benefits off of my husband ever since.
Now I am getting information from SSA with my maiden name on it. The problem is, I found my SSA card Monday. It is in my married name! What is going on with SSA? Why have they changed my name back to my maiden name without my consent? Why was a lady having the same problem on the same day, at a little SSA office in Louisiana? Is SSA trying to do something to older people? Why are they doing this?

There was a company that was my payee rep. named NHO or New Housing Opportunity. A lady named Marilyn was taking care of my money. She was good at her job and knew what she was doing. She left, and that's when the ** started. They started refusing to let me spend down my back pay and even started lying about my money, so I requested another payee. 1st Corp. is the name of my new payee.
I felt if I didn't change payees, I would cease to receive my monthly checks. SSA would claim I had to much money. NHO, instead of sending the remaining balance, I believe it to be $9,000, to my new payee, they sent it to SSA. I don't know which office, it could be in Chicago. So I contacted SSA in Ohio. They ** and claimed NHO legally had to send it to them, and my new payee would receive it in 3 weeks. That was 3 months ago.
Since then, they just plopped. They're lazy. ** on my check and I have heard nothing about it. They can't claim it takes 3 months or more to take care of that. All I want is my money, as I have special needs, and I haven't been able to make reasonable purchases to accommodate these needs. Before NHO decided to act stupid, I had a careful plan of what to invest in for my needs. But that's out of the question now.

My husband was diagnosed and died from brain cancer in 1997. Applied for SS disability, was approved but had to wait five months to receive his benefits, my husbands death was imminent. He died before he would collect his first payment. When I asked about this, I was told that's the rules of SS. When I applied for SS my husbands account, I again asked about this rule of waiting 5 months, but before I completed my questions I was cut off with the same answer. Is there waiting period rule for SS benefits?

On March 23rd 2010, I went to the Social Security Administration Office in Moreno Valley, CA and Mr. ** had given me an open appointment any day before March 26th. I took him the paper work but he said that he was too busy to help me and he would contact me as soon as possible. It's been four months and he still hasn't contacted me. I think its sufficient time so I went to work couple of weeks because I have no income coming in but I couldn't work. My foot was hurting and I would like to see if I could get another worker - not him!

I am scheduled to receive my monthly disability check the 4th Wednesday each month. This month, September 22, 2010, my check was not deposited in my account. I contacted the 1 800 # for SSA and spoke with a young lady who told me that "it appears that my check was withheld to pay my attorney." I initially had hired one attorney and fired her and hired another attorney. I filled out all necessary papers for the new attorney to take the case and inform SSA of the switch. SSA was properly informed as they started sending correspondence to this new attorney and the new attorney already got their percentage from the lump sum settlement. I never received a correspondence from SSA that the 1st attorney was due anything.
I even talked to the 1st attorney today and she was not aware of this situation of them withholding my check to pay her. She quoted "I never filed anything else on your case after you terminated this and SSA needs to be sending you some type of correspondence explaining what I am being compensated for and that your monthly disability check has nothing to do with attorney fees."
I called my local SSA office like I were told to by a 1 800 representative and they too are not able to tell me anything. I was told that they need to speak with someone at the "processing center" to explain the misc code showing in the system before they can tell me what's going on. In the meantime, my family and I are going to be in the dark, no water, house note behind, etc. This is ridiculous and unreasonable. I want to know why my check was withheld, when it will resume, when is my lump sum coming, and how much more money they are going to withhold. Both attorneys have gotten paid and I have nothing not even my monthly check that I was told will not be interrupted for any attorney fees. I need answers now!

I have been appealing my case on SSDI, almost 4 years dragging on for. I worked for 6 out of 10 years paid taxes, I have been diagnosed bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, manic and mixed bipolar disorder, mood disorder nos, depression, and been to doctors M.D., psychatrist and have the paper work to prove this almost 4 years. And been unemployed for almost 4 years, living on food stamps just to get by with food.
I have no insurance at all, and I have nerve damage in my left hand and still have pain. Also, and I have papers from the doctor notes to back all my claims up, and the law judge, Richard ** in Chattanooga, TN just took the opinions from the psychologist, Dr. Richard D. ** of Georgia whom has never examined me or given me any medications, he just looked over my doctors notes and said there not incapable notes or papers from 2007- 2010, and are up to date notes. Dr. Richard D. ** made up false lies examples, go fishing, gym, cutting grass, visiting friend and said I don't need SSDI, said I was faking and just plain lazy.
I've been on medications, unemployed. How can he say things like that, this is discrimination and racism at its best. He even said, I take illegal drugs and drink alcohol when I have not done those kind of things. Dr. Richard D.** is a liar, he even said I don't take medications, when I have them bottles and I sent the labels and dates of them to ssa and to the judge. I even send doctor notes from Hiwasee mental health in Madisonville, TN 37354 and the pharmacy were I got the Genodon mg 80 mg pills- antipsychotic medication I take, and other medications I took from Peninsula outpatient center in Marville, TN, Skyridge Mental Health in Cleveland, TN. Dr. Richard D. ** and has no prove of these false allegations and lies he made up. The judge Richard W. ** administrative law judge just went along with him. Paid off Richard D. ** and the social security administration did to and he made false lies and opinions and threw away may doctors notes on facts. Should be sued for false lies, opinions and false allegations denying me my SSDI.
I work 6 out of 10 years and have mental problems, have paper work to prove this. Also, I will have my own doctor papers to back this up - bipolar disorder, etc. not paid off by the state of TN to deny people, the poor. 95% of people are denied in TN.

I have worked from 2004 until 2007. Why am I not getting a benefit?

I lost my husband in March of this year. We were staying with my daughter and her husband. They were charging us $600 a month. After he passed away, I used $600 of his check ($896) to pay them their rent money. I owe social security $698. I told them I was having problems paying my rent. This was the only finances I receive but they said in October, I will only get $265. I can't pay my $555 rent. I will get evicted. Is there anything someone can do? I am a retiree, 71 years of age. Please let me hear before month is over. I live In Memphis, Tennessee.

I mailed in a completed SS-5 form to the Social Security Administration (SSA) in order to change the name on my social security card due to marriage. I included original certified documents, as instructed. I haven't received any response from SSA and this happened 2 years.

My wife has been out of work for almost four years after working over 20. She has been seeing doctors for the last three years and has been denied SSI for every reason imaginable. What I don't understand is that this is money she has paid into the system in event of such an occasion!

I called customer service to see why my direct deposit had not been entered on my account. Normally it is on my card the day before the 1st of the month. I waited approximately one hour to finally have someone pick up the phone. She said that my deposit was not available! I told her it has always been on my card by the 31st. She hung up on me after 1 hour. In previous times, NetSpend has always sent a message to my phone that my deposit is availablenot this time!

I feel I was forced to re-apply for my disability benefits so the social security administration would not have to pay me all the years I fought them for my benefits. I fought the social security administration for almost ten years. After the 8th years, I was exhausted and at the end of my rope. I even tried to commit suicide. I was denied in, again in 2000. I asked for a reconsideration. I called the SSA to complain, asked questions, asked for help and explained my situation. I don't know if the woman felt sorry for me or not, but she told me if I re-apply I would be approved for my disability benefits.
So, I re-applied and guess what? I was awarded. I couldn't believe it. Nothing in my medical chart changed from the year I applied in 1992 to 2000 when I was awarded. Except for my mental pain and thought. I was at my end.
The stress along was enough to kill. Ten years of fighting for benefits almost cost me my life. Then I'm told that if I re-apply...I would get it! I still can't believe this happen. I suffered, my daughter suffered on a massive scale June 1993-2001. I was only paid one year and a half back pay.

Social Security Collection Department over-collected an overpayment on my taxes, and they won't give the remainder back to me. I've called them repeatedly over the last 6 months, and I have paperwork stating that they were only suppose to take a "certain" amount. But they can't find my money, and they're making no efforts to do so.
I would like an attorney (I can't afford a money down) to sue them for my due money, lawyer costs, and as much extra that I can get for the hassle and ignorance that they've shown me. Any takers, I have all the proof I need and it's open and shut case. Easy money. I rely on that refund to take care of my family.

My husband has died and I am getting the run around to receive his benefits. They keep giving me dates that keep extending me receiving my monies to survive. I have been told on numerous occasions that my funds have been sent, but I have not received them to this date. My time has been wasted and my bills are still going behind awaiting my due funds. My body has been under the stress and and strain of trying to make ends meet. I have to visit my doctors while trying to grieve my husband's death.

I have applied for SSDI and SSI. It has been over two years now. I was injured at work twice in two yrs, leaving me with chronic pain, daily stress headaches, migraines at least two times a week, I cannot sleep due to my arms locking and back pain, I cry constantly, I have no social life, I cry every time I see people and I am angry all the time. I lost my marriage of 20 yrs for lack of sexual and physical contact and my moods and my depression and inability to even bath or cook and clean. I have severe asthma and am currently on oxygen nightly for severe sleep apnea. I have mental depression and suicidal thoughts. I am on over 200mg of morphine, several mood and depression meds, and a about 14 others with severe side effects. I was denied SS twice and forced to get an attorney over a year ago.
The Dr. that the SS sent me to, spent a total of 4 minutes with me, had me walk across the room and touch my toes and then told them, I was faking as he told me he was late getting hay for his horses. The shrink they sent me too, told me I was bi polar and severely depressed but yet I was still denied. I had to move from my husband to get medical care and lost my home, car, credit, life insurance, and health from the stress of no income. I was able to get unemployment for a bit of the time I have been waiting, since being denied SSI, I had no choice but to attempt to find work or die or go homeless, but never once even given a chance to interview.
As the time has gone, by my health has basically left me bed ridden 90 percent of the time. I cannot get a decent sleep of more than one or two hours. I am dysfunctional from the pain and other meds. I am so stressed from not being able to pay bills on my lousy 140 a week UE, and my attorney of over a year never even requested records until three weeks prior to trial. At that point, I had records still not available and was given 16 days, which my attorney failed to accomplish. By the way, I got 90 percent of the record because they waited too long to request prior to court. So I sit here, two months after court and find just now that they still have not gotten records. I called on the 30th of May, 8 days before deadline by judge and told them to let me know if they did not get them in two days. My therapist said they were sent and since I heard nothing, I thought they were.
So now I sit here, almost three years later, I have nothing left to pay bills with, my UE ran out in June, and my sons 22 yr old friend just told me he got his SSI after two months of filing. I am so upset. First of all the people processing are not medically trained so how do they get away with any decision matters. Second, there is no way I can hold a job. I know I have to try if I want to survive, but I know even if I took one it would not last, I cannot get out of bed every day and the depression and mood and anger has me just thinking of dying daily. But I lost my life insurance so I can't even do that for someone has to take care of my disabled adult son.
I don't know why SSI has not been sued for pure negligence. Having unqualified people make life and death decisions seems like a very serious matter. When over 68 percent of all claims are approved at court level, it seems that is enough proof that the people are not doing the jobs they are paid for or even worse highly unqualified. I want my life back, I want my home, my car, my life insurance, my family, I deserved this. And because some "state" employed who is not qualified to make the decisions effecting millions of lives and in addition or a Federal program seems gross negligence.
I want to start a class action suit against the social security administration. I want compensation for all I have lost due to the inability to make an educated and trained decision. They should be accountable for the wrongful and blatantly negligent decisions they have made. Oh and here is a kicker, because I was on workers comp, they are saying if I do get a settlement this will be deducted. First of all, I or my employers pay workers comp, it is a state insurance program and completely separate from SSI, so how is a federal program, which I pay into and a state insurance I also pay into, even allowed to be in the same consideration.
Then they are giving me grief about filing unemployment, which my understanding is not illegal to file for UE and SSI. I understand that there is a contradiction but to be honest, I was denied over two years ago. I had no choice but to attempt to find work even if I could not do said work for maybe more than a day I had to try, I had no choice. If I am denied SSI, I will have to continue to look for work to the best of my ability. No difference. I would not have had to file UE if they would have done their jobs and qualified me. How do all of my sons young friends get SSI no problem, never working a day in their lives and many of us who have worked decades are denied over and over. My mom was diagnosed with terminal stage four lung cancer, died being denied, but a 22 yr old with ADHD is getting it within two months of app.
Whats wrong with this pic. Lost everything, life insurance, home, car, credit, have had bad checks, being sued for unpaid bills, haven't been able to see any of my grand children ever, my health is worse than ever from stress, my depression is suicidal, my relationship with mate and children I isolated myself and am completely alone. I have no social life. No savings and no way to continue to even afford my meager 240 a month ** 40 yr old RV I live in as of end of July. I will be homeless and probably will kill myself and I hold the US government and SSI personally responsible.
There was and is enough medical and mental proof of my disability since day one. Being denied was negligent and they should pay for all my losses in the sum of hundreds of thousands, I will never get my credit back, or my car, or my home or the years with my family or my well being. I have been forced into a life of pure poverty by their reckless indifference by people but in power who have no credentials to make this kind of determination or a federal program that has no business have a state office control.

The point I would like to get across is ever since we have been working it was never uncommon for us to put in 65 -70 work weeks. this is rediculous! My wife can no longer walk or stand for extended period due to her back. I have Diabetic Neuropatic arthritis in both feet and ankles. we both are limited in the fact that we can't stay in one position very long, I now walk with a cane.

I was on Disability several years ago and was ask to participate in the ticket to work program. I thought that would be wonderful and could go back to work wich is what I wanted in the first place.So I signed up and that is were the nightmare began. I found work and filled out the paper work and send in paycheck stubs the whole nine yards. I was told that I can recieve money and medical insurance for 36 months than my program will end. Fair enough. So I continued to work. Than one day I got a letter saying I was over paid and my credit was now ruined. That was the only letter I received. They insist I got more. Funny how these letters appeared when I questioned there practice, ones I never seen.
I spoke to several people and I thought I was all set and everything was work out. But problem after problem kept comming up. Over pay after over pay was cited. I found out they have INTERNS several of them working on my case. No one knows who is doing what or they were doing it differently. Long story short my husband I lost 2 income checks to them saying I owe $9,400 in over pay. Because of that stupid ticket work program So beware and say NO to the program. It will come back to bite you. They made a ton of mistakes and the program is full of flaws and no one knows how to run it. I try to reapply in January and have it expedited because of my shoulder again. I am suppose to get preminary payments while I am waiting on the decision and have received nothing. Only thing I got was threats I would go jail for committing fraud,to take my future income checks,my future paychecks. I was called rotten names and my children was threaten also. I have tried to receive help. And was told they do not make mistakes and it is all my fault. Now what am I to do.I have yet to receive my payments. I was tol;d do to my supposing 16 over pays I am a risk that they are not going to take again. I need help.

On Tuesday, May 26, 2010 I attended the Community & Veterans Job Fair Conference 2010 at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, MD. There were several government agencies in attendance speaking with individuals and accepting resume's. I waited one and half hours to speak with a representative from Social Security Administration because there were several jobs listed on their board I was very much interested in discussing. There were two (2) representatives at the table for the agency a female and male. I was in the male's line and his name was Mr. J., the lady whom the complaint is against did not give me her name.
As Mr. Ja. finished his conversation with the person in front of me, I was about to step up to the desk when his counterpart immediately informed him she had an applicant from FEMA and he needed to speak with her. I stepped aside so I could wait to speak with him after the lady from FEMA was done. Unfortunately, that was not an option, the SSA female rep. told me to come to her line she would assist me. The first question out of her mouth was "What can I do for you" well it was obvious to me I wanted to inquire about employment opportunities with the SSA agency. I extended my hand for a shake and stated my name, she did not give her name and acted like she had an attitude.
I stated the names of the positions (Claim Rep.; TeleService Rep.; Claims Authorizer etc.) all GS-5 to 7 Grades and I would like to apply for either one of them and discuss the requirements. I informed her I had worked for a Sports Agent for the last 14yrs. and he was moving to LA, he offered me a job, but I did not want to move to LA. She stated "are your kids grown" I said "yes" and then she gave me a look like what is the problem, I then informed her I do not want to live on the West Coast I like this area. Then she stated with a loud and rude voice "do you have a degree?", again I stated "yes." So I gave her my resume', which she didn't want to take. "All of my Education and job experiences are listed here," I stated to her. She looked at my resume' and started frowning her face and shaking her head saying no, no, so I was about to ask her "what is the problem and then she stated "what is your GPA?" I said a 2.5 and she "stated "oh no you couldn't work for us, you need a 3.00 or 4.00 to work in our agency." I asked her "if my work experience of over 25 years of customer service, managerial and administrative positions could substitute for the GPA?" She stated "No, you must have the GPA to work for their agency since I was coming off of the streets and had never worked for the government." I asked her would she accept my resume' any way just in-case a position came available and then she told me to check the website daily.
I would like to know three things 1. Is this true you need a 3.0 or higher GPA to work for the SSA? 2. Why did she treat me in such a harsh manner? Maybe its because of my disability 3. Is this a form of discrimination with the GPA? I watched her line of applicants and Mr. J. each time they spoke to someone you could barely hear them but for me I was put on public display. I was embarrassed and upset by the incident that I left the job fair. I didn't want to be recognized as the one told she could not work for the SSA agency. The female representative did not handle this in a professional manner, if she knew they would not hire me, just take the resume' and tell me to have a nice day. But for me to get all of the questions right off the back "what can I do for you; do you have a degree; what is your GPA; I am almost positive that is not how she started her conversations with other applicants because I would see her smiling and acting pleasant. This was a big disappointment to attend a job fair and not even get a fair chance to apply for a position.

The special doctor they sent me to did not turn in the responses that I gave him. He reported what he wanted to with answers that he wanted in order to turn me down. Gary * was his name. I'm still disabled with no way to take care of myself and no benefits.

I filed for SSI in July 2004 after surgery for a fistula on the bladder (Crohns). I was told that my financial resources exceeded the maximum amount allowed ($2,000) in order to be eligible for the public benefit. I submitted all financial statements requested by claims representative like bank account, credit union, investment portfolio ($35,000), and personal vehicles. I filed a request for an appeal hearing on December 2006 before an Administrative Law Judge. My request for appeal hearing was denied.
Section 1917 (d)(4)(A),(d)(4)(B),(d)(4)(C) of the Social Security Act allows SSI claimants to protect assets or setup Special Needs or Supplemental Needs Trust and receive SSI without penalty. I never received this information from claims representative and I was told to spend down my financial resources to the maximum amount allowed in order to be eligible for the public benefit.
The actions of the claims representative are deceptive and misleading. The Deceptive Trade Practices Act on Section 17.46[b] states that acts or practices deemed to be false, misleading or deceptive is a violation of the DPTA. I contacted attorneys in Houston, Texas submitting my support documentation as evidence. None of the attorneys contacted would take my case due to my economic status (SSI). I was evicted from my residence in February 2010 for non-payment of rent. SSI was not enough to pay rent and utilities, and my credit profile has been destroyed. All of my retail accounts are in collections. I am unable to perform preventive maintenance on personal vehicles, purchase insurance and registration. My vehicles have been sitting in the driveway since April 2004 until the present, April 2010.
I filed a civil judgment as a "Pro Se Litigant" in U.S. District Court, Southern Division, Houston, Texas with case number ** and Judge David ** on June 2008. It was violation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and violation of the Deceptive Trade Practices Act. The status of Civil Judgment is pending. I contacted my government representative (Rep Sheila **) but no one from her staff has responded to my request for assistance. Support documents are available for review. I was employed by the Houston Independent School District for 20 years as a public servant. I am a college graduate and at a loss of 95% of my possessions due to eviction judgment (non-payment of rent).
After depleting my investment portfolio, I have no retirement savings. I am unable to get physical rehabilitation due to lack of financial resources and my vehicles need major mechanical repairs. My quality of life has been taken from me involuntary.

I have an appointment next week at the Bloomingdale office to help clear up my mom's social security. She is 83 and needs my help. She received two letters from S.S. -- one from the Bloomingdale office and one from the central office in Chicago, IL within two days. One said everything was taken care of (from Chicago) and the other (from Bloomingdale) confirmed the appointment for next week. It gave the above number to call if we were to cancel or had other questions.
I have tried on numerous occasions to call the S.S.A. Bloomingdale office. I have spent two days redialing repeatedly the phone number and always getting a busy signal. Today, after spending the entire day (until 3 p.m.) continually dialing, my call was answered and for one hour, I continued to receive the same recorded message. After one hour, a live person said she would be right with me. Several seconds later, I was disconnected. I have worked on this all day (what do people do when they can't sit all day on the phone? ) and am nowhere.
This same thing has happened to me previously on this same issue. I have gotten through their line four times. Two times I was disconnected after a live person got on and said she'd be right with me. My question is "Do they take your call, tell you they will be right with you, put you back on hold and then hang up so that it counts as a call they have processed?
I understand they are probably overworked and understaffed. But for the life of me, I can't figure out how anyone has the time or fortitude to stay more than an hour on the line after calling for days to get the recorded message and then get disconnected after waiting another hour on the phone. Does loss of my time and temper qualify as a damage? How does anyone get through ever? My main worry/complaint is that these calls are being taken and then hung up on by the phone representatives because they either don't want to take them or because it will count toward a call they handled although they didn't handle it at all.
This is not right. I have spent an entire day on just calling to see if the appointment next week is necessary and if we should cancel it. I am going to stop trying and just not show up for the appointment. Please check to see if by picking up the phone and telling you that they will be right with you, putting you on hold and then hanging up on you counts toward calls they've handled or something else that would give them a reason to take your call and then immediately disconnect you. Thank you.

I have been trying to get my son's social security card for 13 years now and still do not have it. I sent the information in 3 times before they finally accepted it; oh and of course, you have to mail all originals in, no copies! Finally after 3 tries, I got a letter in the mail saying it had been accepted and I would receive his card in 8-10 business days. It never came, so I tried to call them and I could never get a person to answer.
I got so fed up with this that I gave up for years but now he is 16 and needs his card to get his driver's license. So I gather all of my info, take off work and head up there. I had his adoption decree, his shot records, his birth certificate and his social security number (I do have that). Well, they told me that none of this would work because it is not current.
They want me to go to his doctor and get the doctor to write a letter on his letterhead that states my son's name, both my name and my husband's, his date of birth his medical record # and it must be signed by the doctor and cannot be a stamped signature. This must be an original, not a copy. Why would that be more proof of his identity than the materials that I had provided? How can his adoption papers be not current? You only get adopted 1 time not every yr! Nowhere on the paper that I filled out does it say anything about the documents being current and when I pointed that out, all she could say was, "Yes, I know it isn't very clear." Then she said we were done and until I had the proper paperwork she could not help me! Well, I'm sorry to say that I had the proper paperwork according to their paper and I got a little mad and yes, I did yell, so I was told to leave.

I have been trying to call for hours on two different phone numbers, 765- and 765-7 and on one or nothing will answer the phone on either number. I called one number. If I get a busy signal, I hang up immediately and call the next number. If I get a dial tone, I let it ring until it stops. There's no answering machine, no forwarding, it will just stop ringing. I have been alternating phone numbers since 8:00 am on Tuesday, 3/9/2010.
The number 765- is always a busy signal. 765-7 started out being a busy signal, but now always rings but never gets answered. I have put two appeals in for a friend, with my number as a contact number. They called me when I was with a client at work. I have spent all day calling back. I do not know if they want to tell me they have the appeal, do not accept the appeal. I do not know what is going on.

My Brother In law is disabled due to an accident. We have supported him throughout his ridiculous 4 year battle with SSI for benefits.Yesterday, we called SSI on speaker phone in attempt to get information about a program that would help him with the expense of his medications until Medicare kicks in 3 months from now.
The woman on the phone talked so fast none of us could understand her. When asked to repeat, she hung up on us twice! Don't contact me, I just want this added to the list of complaints, in the hope that some of these government workers, though not all are bad, will gain a little humility. They have to step out from behind the bullet proof glass sometime, and we shouldn't have to clean up the mess!
The damage that results from this is the fact that these agents are dealing with people who already have a plate full of problems, cannot work, in the process of being starved out from labor and industries, SSI, and unable to afford medicines prescribed for problems mostly caused by this type of abuse! Just keep poking these folks with sticks and see what happens!

My son has been receiving SSI since about 2001. This February 2010, his SSI was stopped because SSA says he is not eligible because we own land. We are in a rental contract to buy land, but have no rights of ownership or equity, only a simple land contract. If we stopped making our payment we would lose it. The land is in the owner's name which is easily discovered if you call the courthouse municipality in which the land lies. We have no ownership rights but my son's SSI benefits are penalized despite this.
I requested a case review at the end of January 2010 because we have tried to explain this fact several times to SSA and the issue keeps coming up and now has gone to the extent of our son's benefits being cut off. We believe this is not right. I actually asked to come in with a lawyer and was put off, being told this was not necessary. I explained that my son's living situation is being compromised by the cut off and that I think he has the right to a case review with an attorney present. I did get an appointment, but I am only scheduled to speak with a claims representative on Thursday March 18, 2010 and I do not know if there will be any effective action taken for my son's benefits. We are $1700 behind (two months on our rent) and Isaac has lost his health insurance benefits.

On January 13th, my disability check of 660.00 went into the wrong account. I contacted SS on the 14th and discovered this. I notified Commerce bank of the error and asked that they return the check to the treasury dept. I gave them the acct. #'s. That's when the nightmare began. I've contacted SS and Commerce bank at least once a week. I get a different story every time I call. I called the treasury department, the white house and my congressman's office. No one is interested in helping me. I spoke with a supervisor at SS and he assured me he would contact my local office and call me right back. I still haven't heard anything. This was 1/20/10.
Everyone is sorry for me and gives me their sympathy but that doesn't feed me or pay my bills. I also lost my widows disability check of 350.00. Leaha told me on 1/20 that it had been cashed and I needed to order a fraud packet. I've ordered the fraud packet numerous times. I contacted the treasury department to request a copy of the check today 2/23 and was informed the check hadn't been cashed and the treasury department stopped payment on the check on the 17th! They also stated, no one requested reissue of either check! I feel like I'm dealing with children who are lying to protect themselves. It's been 7 weeks! I've done all the work because they won't.

In Oct 2005, my VA $ increased. I received a Nov 2, 2005 dated letter from SSA stating WA state will no longer pay Medicare premiums and Soc Sec will charge me including back to Oct. The letter states: "if you cancel with 30 days of notice, your coverage ends when state stopped paying". It said to respond to the local SSA office. On Nov 9, 2005, I sent certified letter to local office requesting to cancel it (I have records). On Nov 10, 2005, they received it. I never received a response. In July 2007, they were still deducting these premiums from my benefits. I never once used the Medicaid. In July 2007, I visited the local Soc Sec office asking for these premiums to be stopped and to receive back pay for what was already taken. The premiums did in fact stop at this point but the promised request for back pay had no effect as I received nothing; not even a letter.
In Nov 2009, I mailed a new letter again to the local Soc Sec office with delivery confirmation. I explained the same as I am now, along with including copies of everything I mention above and mailing receipts. Again, I have received no response whatsoever. Please make the Soc Sec Admin do right and pay back the premiums they took from my benefits unlawfully. Thank you. These are 21 months of Medicaid premiums unlawfully taken from my Soc Sec benefits creating unnecessary financial hardship for my family and numerous hours of my family's time taken to write letters, make copies, keep records, and visit local SSA office, and the cost of mailing with delivery confirmation (having learned the hard way historically that SSA "habitually" loses much of what is sent to them, especially if it involves benefits being paid out).

Receive disability and was not made aware for 4 0r 5 years that I was going over monthly amount, however, I was not going over annual amount as I understood to be the rule. SSD should have an orientation in place for all new recepients of benefits to ensure benefits are explained and acknowledged. Now I have to pay back 28,000 from an already strained budget.

My check was to be deposited on September 23 and it is now October 9th and I still have not received my check. I depend on this money to pay my bills, Eat, and travel. I have not even received an apoligie from SS. This is truly an injustice to Seniors who have worked so hard to earn this money. I had to borrow from friends to pay my bills I hope you can rectified this situation so that this does not happen again to myself and to others who rely on this check.

I just barely make ends meet today, and I don't know how I will next year at all. Why are they taking it out on the poorest secment of society? For 50+ years, I was forced to pay out 1/3 of every paycheck which was supposed to take care of me after retirement. It doesn't come close.

My father passed away on June 13, 2009. My mother (age 89) is unable to appear on her own behalf so I did this for her at the Social Security Administration office in Norfolk on July 23, 2009. I applied and was approved as a Payor so I could act on mother's behalf. I applied for her lump sum widow's benefit of $255, and for her share of dad's Social Security under widow's benefits. Thus far, I have gotten absolutely no status reports as to the progress. Mom is only receiving her own social security which is extremely nominal so I am having to use her reserves to pay her caretakers, nurses, utilities, etc. When I call the office, I am told I have to talk to Ms. B, the person who is handling the claim. I leave messages but she never returns the calls. When I phoned the main Social Security number (800 toll #) I get this sad but true story about how everyone is so overwhelmed, yada yada! This is no excuse for not having claims timely handled. The agent also told me some people's claims are so old and not yet handled that they are having to deal with having their utilities cutoff, and all sorts of difficulties because of this inefficiency. I am a hard working tax payer, like both my parents. I am very discouraged and disappointed in the manner in which social security is treating my mother. My father was a WWII veteran, 100% disabled, who plucked his comrades from the ocean when their carrier was attacked by the Japanese and he definitely paid his dues. Why is my mother being treated so wrongly by our government. If I am not doing my job where I work and didn't return calls or handle my business, I'd be immediately dismissed. Why is this happening at thesocial security administration. Where are our tax dollars going if not helping our own people. If they are short handed, then hire people for pete's sakes?

i have been waiting almost 6 months now for back payment and everytime i call i never get any return phone calls back. finally when i did talk to him he said he was sorry its taking so long but he had 3 people ahead of me and it should be within the week well its been almost 3 more weeks and nothing! i started receiving my monthly benifits in june of this year but none of my back pay and it was approved in april.i also called the main 1 800 number and they said they show nothing as being filed and dont understand themselves why its taken so long. they have 2 times sent an e mail for mr. c to call me in regards to this and i never got any calls from him nor anyone else at this office.untill i called and finally as i said got to talk to him and said what he said as i mentioned. thank you for your time.
my food stamps were cut off and now r cut back due to my receiving ssi i also have back childsupport to pay plus i owe my attorney for their fees in obtaining my medical records in order to win my case for me.also, i have to have repairs done to my only means of transportaion in order to continue going to my medical appointments.

Anyway, 5 months and I still have not received my check. I can't get a call back now and everytime I call the main line I get a different story or answer. I have even been told twice that they couldn't find me in the computer and eventually did. I have just become so frusterated and don't know what I can do to resolve this.

Most of the time that I contact the SSA to try to find out what is going on with my disability backpay I get treated terrible, I was even hung up on the last time I tried to get information. They should not treat people like they do, we are entitled to call and ask questions concerning our Social Security, and if we do not understand what they are saying then they should explain it in a friendly and cordial manner. Something needs to be done about this issue. The last time i called I placed the phone on speaker so that my aunt could hear and she was appalled at the way I was treated and talked to and then I was hung up on.

I am writing this complaint because I'm completely fed up with the Social Security system and the inability of any of your employees, that either I or my attorney have contacted with my case, to get this matter resolved. To make a long story short, after being disabled for 3 years your judge awarded me my disability retro-active to Oct 1 2005. I received my Medicare shortly thereafter.
In Nov of 2008 I received my first disability check. Also as of Jan 1 2009, both my food stamps and my Medicaid ended. This is where it turns sour. In March of this year I didn't receive my monthly check. After making several unsuccessful attempts to reach my local SSA office by phone, I asked my attorney to see if they could find out what was going on. My disability was ended because, unknown to me, there was a warrant out for my arrest.
I then received a letter from SSA stating that "benefits may be terminated if a warrant is issued for either a violent or drug related offense". I then contacted the Court which issued the warrant and they stated that there was no warrant. I contacted my attorney with this information, they passed it on to the SSA employee handling this matter and were informed that I would have to provide proof in writing and mail it to them. I did, after not hearing anything for a week my attorney contacted said employee to see if we were good to go. She replied that she couldn't accept the proof because it wasn't on the counties letterhead.
I had the clerk of court not only re-write the letter on county letterhead but she also personally contacted said agent to make sure the letter would contain all the necessary information. Again, after not hearing anything for a week, my atty re-contacted said agent and they were then told that the only way for me to resolve this matter was to petition the court to strike the order for arrest. This is when I discovered that this warrant was issued for a failure to appear in Child Support Court, not a violent or drug related matter. When my atty re-contacted said agent with this fact the agent replied that it didn't matter I would still need the order stricken. On May 18th the order was stricken.
After I didn't receive my June or July checks, my atty contacted the SSA office and they were told that the matter is in process. Now, August is here and still no check, we again contacted our local office and they said that they would call the payment center to see what the delay was. As of last week still nobody knows what is going on. Yesterday, in the mail, I received a letter from the SSA, and I foolishly thought it might be the letter explaining what is happening. I couldn't have been wrong. The letter stated that since my Medicare premium of $96.40 was not paid within the time limit my medical benefits have ended.
So now I'm "a medically disabled American" coming up on 4 years now, I not only have lost my Food stamps and Medicaid because I was awarded Disability (which isn't coming in) but I've had to live for 4 years on only 4 disability checks and now I have no medical insurance whatsoever, because the SSA has been dragging their tails for 3 months. They need to fix this, their agency caused this mess and now I have to continue to suffer.
I need my monies and I need my medical insurance. I have ongoing medical problems that I cannot address without them. I have an office visit with 1 of my many doctors this Friday 8-21 for an upcoming procedure. I need to have resolution by end of business Thursday 8-20-2009 or I will have to post-pone this important procedure.

I first called and reached a voice mail in Albany New York and left a name and message, but did not feel comfortable about reach another state so I called back. On the second call Ms. Lebron answered the phone and told me that there was a customer ahead of me to hold.
I did, it seemed like forever, there was no way that I could tell whether the line had gone dead or not, so I finally hung up. The call was around noon. I called back three more times and just got a busy signal. Finally, my calls just rang continously for the next 45 minutes. Finally, Ms. Lebron answered again and attempted to assist me but told me that a claims representative would have to call me back. She agreed that she saw no reason for me not to be proceessed. I questioned her as to whether the social security office was closed during lunch and she told me that someone was suppose to answer the phones.
Near the end of the day, I called back, and got a message to leave another message and someone would return my call within THREE days. My question is, what kind of service is this from our local office in St. Augustine? Is this protocal? This may be an example of the worst customer service in history. This is a federal office, not a private business, phones should be answered during Federal Business hours.
This is too much stress for the average senior.

Bob H, an employee of SSA was rude, belligerent, would not allow me to speak with a supervisor and told me if I wanted help, I'd have to deal with him. It was the most unbelievable experience I've ever had. Hopefully, it was recorded.
Also, when I went into the Social Security office in San Bernardino, CA, after lunch, one of the ladies who sits behind the counter that was helping me had alcohol on her breath and was having a difficult time understanding what I want.In March, they cut off the SSDI of the man I take care of leaving me to foot the bill for the next 7 months. I had to go down to their office 4-5 times, a 1 1/2 hour drive, one-way; I had to take him to a doctor's appointment - again a 3 hour drive was involved.
The worst of all? They sent me a bill for $2,790.00 saying they overpaid him when they haven't been paying him. This is when I contacted the Richmond office and had the horrible experience with Bob H.
Without exception, most of these employees are rude, unpleasant, unhelpful and they just don't care. Apparently, they can't be fired and have no accountability. These are our tax dollars at work!

My child's father was approved for total disability. He has a representative payee. I called in May when I found out that he was approved and made an appt to take my daughter to our local office to file a claim on her behalf being that she was still in high school. While making the appt via phone, the SSA rep noticed that the rep payee who lives in NC along with my child's father, had started a claim on my child's behalf but it was not processed yet because she had to prove that she had custody of my daughter. I told them that I have always had custody of my daughter and that we lived 3 hours away.
they made an appt for June 10th 2009 for me to go to the Norfolk VA office and file a claim. They ask me to take all my proof and I did including my daughter herself. After filling out all the paperwork, almost at the end of the session, the SSA rep that we saw in the Norfolk office told me that a check went out on MAy 26th to the rep payee in NC..I asked the question how when she had to prove that she had custody. How when she is paying child support to me for my daughter on behalf of her brother?
I filed a fraud claim on the 11th of June; however, I have not heard anything as of yet. I wonder I have a case against SSA for sending the check out to the wrong payee and not verifying custodial information which includes school records and everything. My child has been attending high school the last 4 years in Chesapeake Va not NC. Do I have a case? Please advise

I called to speak with someone about having my daughter's Social Security Benefit deposited into my new bank account from the "joint" account I and my husband have that I closed. The guy I spoke with proceeded to tell me how he couldn't move money from that account since my husband was on it, to yea that he could move it, but not deposit it into an account that had both of our names on it, to he could do both (in other words he was wrong).
After going through all the required information I needed to provide, I had a question. I asked the man if my next check would be mailed or deposited into my new account, and he began chastising me about closing my other account first. First that was not my question, and second I was well aware that there was a possibility of the check returning to them and then being mailed to me. I had no problems with this.
I proceeded to try and ask my question again politely, and before I could get a few words out, he cut me off as if he knew what I was asking about, and started answering a question I was not even asking. After he finished I proceeded to try and ask my question again, and was rudely cut off AGAIN.
This man spoke in a very condescending voice, and he didn't even know what I was asking. This time I cut him off and said, "Excuse me sir, Please let me finish the question"...before I had time to finish that statement he was yelling at me and cursing at me saying, "Are you "f**king through yet"? "Are you!"...I never got an opportunity to ask my question. I can also tell you that I went through about 20 minutes of automated stuff holding for this person, and I got hung up on.
I never got my question answered, and I am VERY concerned that he may mess with the payment he set up for me and cause me financial hardship. I did yell back at him trying to get his attention, but that didn't work. He just kept repeating the above and hung up on me. I can't find anything on the internet or anyone I can contact in regards to this. All I wanted to do was ask a very brief question, and I am not at all long winded.
This is by FAR the worse customer service I have ever experienced! It is very hard to reach someone. After you go through approx. 20 minutes of automated services they will send you to a busy signal usually.

I've recently learned that I'm not eligible to receive "one time additional Stimulus check payment of $250.00" due to my temporary address in the Republic of Korea.This is quite contrary to last year's Econoic Stimulus whereby I received $600.00. Mary and I are currently living only on our monthly Social Security payments.
My wife Mary and I have resided here in the Republic of Korea since my retirement to avail ourselves of special medical treatments. My permanent residency is the State of Hawaii, permitting to vote for President Obama last November. President Obama then signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
I'm one of 55 million Social Secirity recipients in the United States. Apparently, the Social Security recipients, currently living in foreign countries, have been excluded from the receipt of "one-time" additional Stimulus check payment of $250.00 as of November 2008.
In my personal opinion, I feel it's just not justified for President Obama to have signed this Bill without "deep" thinking. Under the current "global" economic surroundings, discriminating among Social Security recipients based on the location of each resident I consider unfair and a big mistake!this appears to equate with the "renewal of the old "Jim Crow Law" practiced in the Southern states many decades ago. It is immoral.
We simply cannot and will not go back to exercising the principles of isolationism during our jet age! I've read President's auto biographic books and noted that his mother survived on "food stamps" in Hawaii for a while. How would President Obama have felt if the State of Hawaii had not granted benefits to her because of his divorced Kenyan father? Who was a foreign student attending Harvard in Boston. The situation appears similar to these Social Security cases.
Obviousely, I'm incensed at what has been done to us, as I'm sure all of those receiving such "second hand" citizen tretment are as well. The issue is a matter of principle and not $250.00 per se. It's hard to rationalize the reasons that could have caused this "slap in the face" from our government. I highly recommend that our President Obama immediately initiate action with Congress to correct this injustice!
From a political standpoint those, that voted to exclude selected citizens from the Stimulus provided to other citizens, have "shot themselves in the foot." I for one will not support them in future elections, and encourage many others to do the same unless they apologize, reverse this "asinine" policy, and correct this discrimination.
Lastly, I'd like to share a couple of "sentences" in response to my recent inquiry on the subject of "Stimulus Check $250.00 Exclusion" I've received from SS Admin which I vehemently don't agree:
"I understand where you are coming from. The Main reason why the Economic Stimulus was approved was to stimulate the the Economy of the USA. If Social Security Beneficiaries who are outside the US would also eligible, the money paid to them will not be sued with in the US, thus defeating the purpose of the Stimulus Package"....
It doesn't make any sense at all. It's all conceptual but impractical. how does this person know for sure that I'm going to donate the entire $250.00 to my old school- New Hampton Prep School(Class of 1956) at New Hampton, New Hampshire in the USA, which I had planned to contribute under the campaign of "Giving" program.
Frankly, our goverment should not dictate or legislate the law of individaul spending plan. Why then, President Obama is so apprehensively concerned about the money paid to Social Security recipients in foreign countries "will not be used with in the US". After all, President Obama appears to be soon forgotten that this country is a nation of all immigrants, therefore, we're all deeply rooted in the US with the rest of the world economically and socially.

I have been on disability since about 1998 after a two year fight to obtain what I clearly qualified for, which was a total waste of time and money. In 2004, my husband filed for divorce leaving me with a huge mortgage note, all our bills, my live-in ailing mother, and my daughter.
Because I have always suffered from the disability I have, bipolar disorder, I have never been able to hold a job for very long. I have therefore never earned enough money to have made my disability income very substantial. Because it was so low, apx. $540.00 a month, I was in big trouble when my husband left.
I was faced with having to get a job, even if I would lose it as soon as I fell into a depression. Since I had not worked while on disability, I did not know the rules for working, so I wrote to let them know as soon as I got my job. I had been told something about a 9-month trial work period and had also been told there was an income limit, but I had no idea the details of either. I wrote to my local office asking for details so that I could avoid doing anything that would jepardize my disability. I did not receive a response.
Eventually, I called and was told that all I needed to do was make sure I completed and turned in, the annual income form that they would send to me. I made sure to do that every year, immediately upon receiving it. Since I still was unsure about this "income limit" I wrote again and again for over two years. I never once got a response.
Because I was going through the divorce, struggling with keeping myself alive through my depressions, trying to keep my daughter in school, trying to take care of my mother, and trying to keep myself employed, months would go by before I thought to write them again. I finally gave up and decided since I hadn't heard from them, I must be doing what I was supposed to be doing.
I had been able to find their website which had an "annual exempt earnings" page, which I was well under so I felt confident all was right.
On the third year, I received a letter from them saying I owed them $6,000. I had since lost my job, was remarried, but we were still barely making it. We were able to pay our mortgage payments and necessary expenses, but nothing else, including food. We didn't qualify for food stamps because he earned $10 dollars over their limit ($1900 a month for a family of three!) Our mortgage alone was $1200 so we did not have money left over to even eat).
Both my husband and I had also gone back to school in an effort to get out from under government assistance, which we were able to pay for through grants.
When I got that letter, I became hysterical because I had tried so hard for three years to make certain I did all I was supposed to do, and they never once even acknowledged my letters let alone explained the rules.
I did find that there is something called "not at fault" which you can claim, and if you 1) meet their criteria for that, AND 2) paying them back would basically ruin you, then you do not have to pay back the money.There are four criteria, and I met every one, clearly. It was also abundantly clear that paying them back would cause us to be homeless. So I filed my waiver request.
They denied me stating that on the last criterion in the last half of the sentence, it says "...if you could have been expected to know you owed them, you are respoisnble. But how could I have known unless they TOLD me which they refused to do for over three years? They did say I could appeal. I did. I met with an employee at the Norcross office, a woman named Mrs. G and explained, again, why I was not at fault. I had never withheld information, I turned in timely annual reports, etc.When I looked through my file at that meeting, however, I did not see any of my letters for the two years I wrote to them and I asked her why they were not there. She acted like she didn't know where they could have gone and tried to suggest that I sent them to a different office or that they might have been in a different file in storage. She assured me she would track them down. She never did. She didn't even have my most recent request for the waiver in the file! I wound up having to go home to pull that letter off my computer and fax it to her.
All other correspondence to them would have been in old computers that I no longer have. I do have two hard drives, but as was pointed out to me by a friend, even if I paid money I don't have to have the letters pulled off the hard drives, they could still simply say they never received them.
After that meeting, in spite of the fact that I CLEARLY met the criteria AND proved that I would be beyond destitute if they took that money, they denied me anyway. They completely ignored their own rules.
In the letter they sent me telling me of my denial, they told me I had the right to a second appeal before an administrative law judge. They didn't even provide the form, which they said was enclosed in the envelope. After tracking it down on the website, I printed it, filled it out, and sent it in that same day.
Two months later while I am awaiting my appeals court date, I get a letter in the mail telling me they are beginning the withholding of my disability check starting the following month, and I will not receive it again until March 2010! I couldn't believe it. There was no mention of my second appeal at all. Not a word.
What's worse is that even though they have the authority to only take a portion of that money each month, they chose to take every dime - including my Medicare payments!!
When I called to find out what happened to my appeal, they said they had no record of my appeal request. (What a shock). She informed me that Medicare would bill me directly, but they only allow you to pay in three month installments that would total over $400.00.
I just do not understand how they can get away with this or why on Earth they would choose to take every dime when they were fully aware I would already face losing my home without the check every month, so I certainly couldn't afford to lose the check AND come up with the money for my health care.
How can they get away with "losing" all the documentation that supports my position while still conveniently having any correspondence they sent me?
Why would they ignore my legal rights to my appeal and be so careless with these documents that people's lives are dependent on?
Why would they take every dime from me including the Medicare payment knowing my life literally depends on that medical care, especially when they had the option not to do so? What does that say about these people?I repeatedly asked them for help understanding the process and my responsibilities, and they just "lose" my paperwork? I was completely honest and ethical, reported every dime I earned every year, I met every one of their criteria for "not at fault," and none of that matters to them.
It is my accusation that they didn't bother to do their jobs by not fully explaining my responsibilities and carelessly misplaced my correspondence. When they learned I was going to hold them accountable, they simply denied my claim. I think they were angered that I drug my Commissioner into it, and so they tossed my application for my appeal in the trash and just said they never got it. Then they maliciously withheld every single dime of my disability check to include the only means of medical care I have to keep me alive.The whole purpose of this administration is to HELP people who need help. I proved positively that I did all I was supposed to do and they just cannot admit they made the errors, even if it costs someone their life. These people are lazy and do not do their jobs and then make you pay for it, with your life.
I can't even find an attorney willing to sue them. The only attorneys there are, are the ones who want to take the easy win, get-you-on disability but no one willing to make these scoundrels accountable for their careless and malicious behavior.

I am emailing on behalf of my 93 year old father. My father moved from nothern California to Southern California and I called in a change of addrress form for him. When he did not receive his check for April I assumed it went to his old address and that it would be forwarded to him. When the April check and then the May check did not arrive, I started to make calls to Social Security to find out what happened.
After many phone calls this is what I was told. My fathers checks were being sent to ComericaBank and that the April and May check plus the stimulus check were all in his debit account. My complaint is that neither my father nor I EVER made these arrangement or were EVER told about this arrangement. Now I am having a very hard time withdrawing the money from this debit card to put the money, where it belongs, into his checking account. I want to know who set this account up and under whose authority. I want to see any document that has my father's signature on it agreeing to this arrangement. It is causing so many problems and I want to know how it happened. I truely believe that this could be construed as elder abuse or theft of his money. Whoever set this up and did not inform my father of this is basically cheating my father.
Somebody took it upon themself to do this and I want to know who did it and at the very least what you are going to do about it so that it does not happen to others. I want to see paper work with my father's signature on it allowing this to be put into motion. I would think any kind of bank debit card involving Social Security money would need to be signed off by somebody, specifically the perosn who is being affected.
I was also told by somebody in Social Security, that all I need to do is call the bank, ComericaBank, and they would cancell the debit card and send my father a check for the money. The bank said there is no way this could be done since they are a paperless bank. I am very glad for the ecology system but again, it is creating a mess for my father. The assisted living place that my father lives in does not take debit cards, cash or checks only, and my fathers expenses are minimal so that he has no where to use a debit card that now has $2670.00 on it. To withdraw the money from the debit card will cost him about $35.00, for cash withdrawls, and why should he use his money for something that was done without his permission.

Have a repayment that needs to be paid back. I did not recieve any notices that my check would be garnished until garnishment began. This was also put on my credit and I wasnt notified of any of this otherwise I would have made arrangements. Social Security claims they sent the letters to me but the only one I recieved was the one about the garnishment. please help in any way possible.

On 12/29/06 I applied for my social security card at 26 Federal plaza, however, to date have not received it. After this on 2/9, 7/24, 11/5 of 2007 respectively, I applied at the social security office at 650 E. 12th street but still without success and because of this I a unable to receive a drivers license or NY state ID as I was refused on this basis and, am lso unable to get employment for lack of a social security card. I do have a social security number verificaton form verifying my number but am being told by employers this is not a legal instrument and it has been more than 2 1/2 years and still I do not have a social security card.
I was born and raised in NYC and my card was lost. As a result I have been homeless, living on the street, and have no resource with which to support myself. I am presently living with a friend but face the danger of being on the street again. My pa, medicaid and food stamp benefts have been terminated in the end of 2007 and have no medical or financial benefits or income. I did call the social security adminstration numbers in November 2008 and April 2009, but was informed that I could not be helped. At present I don't know what to do other than seek judicial relief, but am trying to patiently resolve the matter.

Thank you.

I went to the SSA to obtain a copy of my sons social security card. I drove 45 miles with my infant son just to obtain this information. I went in with my son and took a ticket (#27) and was called immediately. I went to the teller on the left side of the office and tryed to explain that although my son was issued a number I never physically received a card. She then stated I was wrong and they did send one. I then tried explaining that I still don't have one and that's why I was there that day. We went back and forth w/her saying they sent one, me stating I didn't receive it. All I was trying to get her to understand was that I didn't have it and would like a new one.
She then whispered something to herself and I asked "what?" and she then stated that I was very rude. I said that was not good customer service and at this point she hastedly handed my paperwork to her co worker to take over. I stepped over to the other teller and apologized sincerlely and she also stated that I was very rude and had came at her co-worker "swinging".
At this point she called 3 security gaurds to come in. She then finished my paperwork and handed it to me. I had asked if I could receive the actual number (which I stated to the first teller) and she then asked what I needed it for? She also very rudely asked me if I needed it to file my taxes. I feel that it is none of her business why I needed the number, I actually just wanted it for my records.

A while ago, social security administration advised me that I had beenoverpaid while I was collecting Widow's Survivor benefits, after my husbands death, while raising my two daughters
a schedule of repayments was worked out wtih them.
As agreed, I was repaying them $25 per month
Last week I received my Federal Income tax return, with a notice attached that Social Security had petitioned IRS to take out the total balance of the overpayment' which they did. THey did NOT pre-advise me of this, I did NOT receive any notification of intent.
This is against their contract with me
We had made an agreement, and I was keeping my part of it,
This is causing an extreme financial hardship for me.
I am just about making ends meet with my financial situation.

I tried several times to take care of my benefits with social security and to no avail I was ignored and hung up on twice.I only get half of my SSI check. I'm separated legally and SSI won't give me my other portion despite the fact I brought in the necessary documents. I was given a letter saying I'm getting my benefits but then they are taking out 67 dollars b/c of my husband's overpayment of work despite the fact we were not living together. Social security takes out 70 dollars because I'm married plus 23 dollars for the state.I should be getting close or near 800 a month. I'm not getting near that amount.
I went to the office to get my benefit amount changed and they sent me a letter for what I owe them but won't give me what I'm owed.When I asked Social Security representative for their Identification number she hung up on me. I was actually hung up on three times today. I'm sick of this; if they act this way now imagine what it will be like when I'm elderly?

SSS allows garnishing of SSS benefit 15%. Disregard threshold of $750.00.

employee was rude, spoke in a patronizing, inconsiderate way. wouldn't answer a question directly without giving a long speech first, after I politely explained I needed the information as quickly as possible. When i asked for person's name, they said it quickly and kept talking. i asked person to repeat their name to make sure I had it correctly & then proceeded to hang up after an impolite Goodbye.

U S Atty is going to take fifteen percent of my social security payments, even though my entire private pension has been taken from me and restitution for embezellment had been paid to the victim. The u s atty also wants to be paid the entire amount. I am a 76 year old disabled man with no other income other then social security. I need help.
This is due to start with my April social security payment.

On July 18, 2008, I accompanied my parents to the Social Security Office for them to apply for an SS# for them to legally apply for a job. At the same time, my personal agenda was to amend the name I had in their system. Apparently, there were no obvious signs showing cell phones were not allowed to be used. I went in with my parents and I used my phone and still, we did not see any obvious signs prohibitng usage of cell phones.
I was approached by the guard and though I apologized, I was forced to go out. At the lobby, I requested to talk to my father to give my parents a few instructions and to tell them I will be ok outside. Guard said I can't. So I said it's a matter of emergency because my father is suffering from heart problems and a little consolation might help. He pushed me out and handcuffed me and I was humiliated in front of the public.
I spent $1500 for legal assistance from Atty. C. Claus (also, I paid $280 for settlement w/ the City Court). Also, I was restrained to go to the office. The misdemeanor case is still being contested by the said lawyer. Along the way, I received an arrest notice though I went to the 1st hearing (the case wasn't even filed when I went to the City Court).

I have Pulmonary Fibrosis diagnosed 12/07.I applied for SSDI at the same time I applied for SDI as there is no cure for my disease,it started on the lower lob of my lung,now it has progressed to the upper area of my right lung.I have exhausted my SDI, I FINALLY am at the court hearing state of my SSDI application it is to be on March 24th 2009.Binder & Binder is handling that part.
This is February!,I did apply for food stamps they will start on March 1st-this is February 10th! My disease does not allow me the freedom to walk to the food banks and some days it does not allow me to walk even down stairs to the mail box I do live alone and I do have section 8-I have not heard from them since telling them I had 0 income, my landlord has asked me for my rent which is 10 days late,I have called my utility co's I will have service until march 8th-the hearing is march 24th.I have a slice of bread 1top ramon,coffee, sugar,creamer,1 onion,how can the government do this? Are they hoping I will die before the court hearing?

My husband died in 2001. Social Security did not pay survivors benefits until 2008 for me or our son. Legal Services of Northern VA assisted with the never ending appeals. Mystery check appeard in 2008. No explanation given. I feel as though they stole our lives away. long story...
Homeless at times, traumatized, hungry, huge loss of opportunities for my son and emotional damage that will never end for me. I pray my son will be alright. Credit destroyed more

I have a child that has a disease called Sickle Cell Anemia. Last May 2008 she was granted her disability, after being denied for years. Well they granted her a settlement amount of 6,637. (rough estimate) Anyway I was humiliated by her case worker at the SSI administration. She made it look as if i am using my daughters check as some sot of welfare check when I work at a hospital and i am going to school to study nursing so that i can be able to help and provide for my child.
Mrs. C made it seem like I couldn't use her money from her dedicated account to make sure we have transportation, educational work for when she is not able to go to school. Anyway she cuts my daughters check off every month due to some ridiculous reason. There is a little more to it than this, and you have my phone number if you are interested in hearing anymore about my complaint please call.

I was completly shocked and disgusted by the treatment I recieved from the Social Security Administration Office at 26 Federal Plaza in New York, NY
I have lost my wallet. I need a new lisense and SS card. I found out i cannot get a new lisense with a SS card. I do not have any other form of i.d.'s so I called the 1800 number, and asked what I needed. They said an Employee Ideneity Card would be fine. It says that on the website as well. I printed out the info from the website and took it with me. I went to 26 Federal Plaza and spoke to a woman who said "theres no way I can help you without proof of date of birth" I showed her the papers printed from the goverment website. She was extremely rude and continued to deny me, knowing I have nothing else to show her. I left.
I called abck the 1800 nuber this morning where the man who answered said they were wrong for not accepting it (my employee id card) and gave me a number to reach that perticular office. I called that number.
When I called I asked to speak to a manager to which the male receptionist asked "Who is calling?" I said my name and that I was in that office yesterday to which he said "YOU SHOULD NOT BE CALLING THIS NUMBER. THIS IS AN EMPLOYEE ONLY LINE!" I explained to him that I had no idea and that the toll free number GAVE me this number. HE continued saying I shouldnt be calling this number and finally transered me to a manager. She did not answer. It went to voicemail. I left a messgae asking her to call me back.
I called the other number that the woman in office gave me yesterday. (yesterday there was no answer after a half hr waiting with the phone on speaker). I decided to give it anohter try. I called the same male answered. This time screaming, and being more rude then I have EVER IN MY LIFE. He said I was wrong for calling the employee only number, that I had no right, that they are short staffed and dont have patience for this. When I asked why he was being so incredibly rude, he said I was being rude and calling numbers I shouldn't be!
I told him this was completey out of line and I dont understand how people work at a place like that with that kind of attitude. He contined being nasty until I explained my situation. He paged the manager and then she promplty called me back. The manager I spoke to Mrs. C. was very understanding and told me they do accept Empolyee ID cards to get a replacement SS card. I had also told her the treatment I had recieved, but she did not seem to interested, she was polite but didnt seem to care. That is why I am writing a complaint because it ludicras to spoken to like that. I hope someone addreses this situation.

After several attempts via phone & visits to social security office, still cannot resolve issues with receiving overpayments and prior alerts to inform them to stop payments until they are paid. Also, they had incorrectly entered my birth date and no resolve to my visits for them to stop benefits upon benefits based on my income.
Stress, and the repeated phone calls and visits, to be told I only visited once. This is so stressful and time comsuming.

A person calling the Soc. Sec. Offices can not get through on the phone.I wanted to find out how I can be placed on a payee status without any empirical knowledge indicating I even require payee satus?
Then they pay someone to manage my money from disability when it is not needed or
reqested by me. I worked 42 years in this Country, didn`t need a nurse maid then don`t need one now. This is nothing but B.S.!!!!
I can`t control my own money. I have to
wait 30 days before I
see a penny. Lucky it isn`t an emergency or
I would be dead, or is that Soc.Sec. objective to off people on disability?

On Friday, January 2, at approximately 2:00 pm, my wife and I arrived at the Social Security building located at 6344 Austin Street, Rego Park, NY. Upon arrival, we approached the security agent (african american female) who was on the telephone, to ask how I should change my name on my SS card. Before I could ask the question, she stated, You all need to get away from my desk because I need to take this telephone call. We remained by her desk in disbelief of her attitude and overheard her speaking to a bank conducting personal business.
At that point, we walked around, identified how to get a number, and completed a form that was next to the black box. We began to wait since there was only one counter person attending to the many people waiting. Finally, after an hour our number was called and we were informed that they no longer issue SS Cards and we needed to go to the Jamaica location.
We can't believe that we waited there for more than one hour for this answer when the security guard could have informed us as soon as we entered the facility. In addition, for the hour that we were there, there was only one person at the counter at which time we observed at least 12 people walking around doing nothing. Is this where our tax payer money is going? We would like a response as to why people are treated so poorly at a government facility and as to why we wasted an hour of our day and accomplished nothing.

SSI is saying that i owe them a little over 30,000 dollars which over the years they have been taking money from.over these years I have been asking social security to give a letter with dates and payment amount for these dates.social security as of 12/08/2008 has not send me no letter at all.social security is also taking benefits from my social security benefit due to this problem.

For the last 3 years to date I have been receiving a cosistent amount of monthly money in the amounts of 800.00/850.00 In the month of September I get a letter stating they have made a mistake for the last 3 years and now my new monthly payments are 233.00, that is 600.00 less amonth. This is devastating to my budget and family of 7.Based on their calculations I purchased a used vehicle and signed a 5 year contract that I am now struggling to pay. On top of all this they want me to pay for their mistake in the sum of 17,000.00.

I was immediately denied by SSA, but told I could file paperwork for "reconsideration" and could do so online. I began my application for reconsideration, and logged off to finish later (as the instructions said I could do) and was given a "re-entry number".
When I attempted to finish my application, was denied access three times - it said I could not be identified in their system, then was locked out. In the meantime, I was sent another denial letter, which tells me they didn't even realize I hadn't finished the original reconsideration application! I then began an online appeal, and when trying to begin the process, kept getting error messages telling me that I needed to correct the errors. There were none!
It then told me to contact them by phone. I called, received a recording. When I do ocassionally get to talk to a person, am told I need to fill out the necessary paperwork. When I do that, they then tell me they never received it, or that it is past the deadline. I have been given the "run-around" from these people since the very day I ever had contact with them!

its been an awful experience, i've lost my home, my job, my health, my kids, my sanity, all due to a car accident in feb 2007. i have no income and have been fighting disability since feb 2007. my hearing is apparently scheduled for january 2009 at the earliest. by then i'll be living out of a cardboard box somewhere.
i don't understand what takes so long to schedule a hearing, which i should have never been denied in the first place. i had spinal cord surgery, replaced 6 discs with metal spacers, and fused a metal plate over the 7 vertabrae. my left side is permanantly numb, i cannot sit, stand, or lay for more than 30 mins. i cannot work, i cannot think, i am in constant pain...all because 2 people choose to run red lights.
i am angry at that even with the congresswoman's help, i was still denied and she cannot even have my hearing moved up. the saga goes on and on but i will spare everyone. i just wanna vent and let anyone who cares know, that if you ever are injured, and need to rely on social security you better start now, so you get benefits by the time your 65!

I explained all of this and she basically just said" well after that he has to report the money as improperly used by the payee but that takes time" My father is in the hospital and needs the money now what can we do? My father will not have the benefits from SSI on August 1 2008 because the payee on file will not surrender his money to him or his family. He has hospital and medicine expenses soon.

I have be attempting to return a call to the Clearwater SS office since last Friday 7/18/08. I have now been listening to their recording for what has been almost 2 hours. They refuse to answer. In the meantime I called the 800 number on another line for assistance and was met by a lady who felt she has apparently known me long enough to complete my sentences but also to tap into my thoughts not allowing me to complete one sentence and feeling she had the need to interrupt everything I was trying to say. She then stated she was going to place me on hold and disconnected me. I can not believe that this is the type of service offered by the SSA. In order for me to resolve this matter I must travel there and speak to someone since they refuse to answer the phones. I hope someone is working there to help me with the service Ive gotten thus far I highly doubt it.

They enclosed copies of pages 1 & 2 which state how the money should be spent (education or medical only). I appealed and explained how dire our financial state was & that I didn't have any funds. I also sent them a copy of Page 3 which states money can be spent on housing and/or food. They conveniently left that page out. One week later I received another overpayment notice for my other son for the amount of $457.00. I just couldn't believe it.
I contacted Congressman John Peterson and his office was wonderful. They inquired into the situation and straightened it all out (or so I thought). No money was due for either child. Around the same time(1/08-2/08) they sent me 2 identical overpayment letters 2 weeks apart for December 2006. They incorectly had income recorded for me even though I didn't work. I had to go through the whole process of fighting them twice because of this.
During the next couple of months I received several letters with new amounts of back pay my son was owed. They were all different amounts. I could not understand why they could not figure this out unless this was just a stalling practice which I now believe it was. So far, as of today, July 16, 2008 my son still has not seen a dime of that 2nd installment.
In June 08 I informed them (the local office) my husband was laid off. Within 1 week I received another overpayment notice for my other son. All that was in the envelope was a letter. Nothing to show me where and how this could have happened when our income level has continued to drop. I contacted Congreessman John Peterson again. His office responded and said they are looking into this. That is where we stand now. I don't know if this local office is extremely incompetent or just seeking retaliation for reporting them to the Congressman. I need to know my rights and options. Please, if anyone can help, I would be so deeply grateful. Thank You.
I have Lyme Disease with severe complications. I take 11 medications on a daily basis and am currently awaiting for my SSDI hearing date. My health has continued to decline even though I am under the care of 3 doctors. I have already had 2 IV infusions at home since October 2006. My local Social Security Office is fully aware of my medical condition yet they continue to harass me. They are my number 1 cause of the tremendous stress I have been under since getting sick. For this reason, I am not only interested in getting my son's payments back on track but, I would also be seeking compensation for damages they inflicted directly on my health. If anyone can help, especially attorneys familiar with citizens rights. Please do not hesitate to contact me. Thanks so much.

My parents have recieved very little in Social Security. My father worked until last year as an Electrical Contractor. He is now 80. My Mother was forced to work part time as a SESAP. A government program that pays just above minimum wage. What a joke. Anyway my mother is now 70 and was forced to stop working due to Federal cut backs. Her health is getting bad so she will not be able to go back to work in the private sector. The income they receive pays less then they need for their emediate living expense. The COLA is not fair or accurate. My parents are in debt an will never get out due to less income and more expense then they receive.
The FEDS should have their own lending Departments instead of selling it to the private banks and lenders. The interest earned would fund additional needed monies and secure our current Social Security, Medicare, Education, and other voter approved programs. I still think that the Social Security Program is a failure under its current income and expense system. The Program must be funded by 5% Employer and Citizen contribution along with assets that increase in value and are backed by the American Home Owners, Business Owners and other Secure Assets. The FEDS should have seen that the Money received from our citizens should be used to fund our citizens needs.
Step back and think for a minute. You will see that Trillions can be earned from interest by tax paying citizens for Mortgage Loans and other Secured Asset Loans. All Local, State and Federal owned materials that are ready for recycle or disposal should be sent to Federal Recovery Plants. There they may be sold, traded, or used for Non Profit Orginizations. The rest would be recycled instead of tossed of in the ocean or landfills. This would create jobs, protect the earth and bring in additional income. Just a thought.

Reported my father's death by phone 2/15/08 (date of death was 2/5/08) Recorded incorrectly as 2007 by Social Security March 17 2008 reclamation done in error and $15,000 removed from my checking account with no warning.
Went to soc. sec. office March 24 to correct their error. Still waiting for money to be put back.

My name is Leopoldo, 70 years old, I am an undocumented allien.
I am working in USA for 20 years under my own name and own Social Security Number. I had paid my Social Security taxes, Medicare, Federal and State taxes. I also filled out my taxes every year since the first year to present.
A month ago I went to the SSA office to claim for my benefits but they refused to pay me my benefits because they said I am an undocumented allien. But 7 years ago my brother who is an american citizen claimed for me and now I am in the waiting list.
While I was paying my taxes my money was legal but now that I am claiming my benefits my money are illegal.
I want to know if anybody can help me to claim, to the Social Security Agency, my benefits.

Re: Medicare Part B
Last February, my wife lost her part-time job at the Garner, Kohls store. In an effort to keep up with my bills, I called SSA and cancelled the Medicare Plan B account that I had had since April of 2000. I thought that I was still fully insured under the family covered GHI (Group Health Insurance) plan that I had enrolled in with my prior employer, The Brooklyn Union Gas Company in November of 1967. Premiums were still being taken out of my pension check.
Unfortunately, the GHI plan had been changed from full coverage for me, (but not for my wife) to a supplemental plan when I became sixty-five.
I should have known this.
I found out in May when my leg ulcer opened up again after being dormant for over twenty years, and Medicare refused to pay any of the approximately $7,000 in medical bills.
I contacted the SSA and admitted my egregious stupid mistake and I offered to pay the premiums that I had missed since my foolish Plan B cancellation provided that I could be re-instated in Plan B.
SSA refused. There was no explanation for the refusal. Mr. Dawkins, the office manager of the Smithfield branch did telephone me to inform me that the SSA has regulations.?
SSA insists that I can only enroll in Medicare Part B during January through March of 2008. Medicare Part B will not pay any bills until July of 2008.
My doctor has informed me that unless I have my leg amputated or broken and reset, the ulceration will spread and I run the risk of a fatal blood clot migrating from the wound.
I made an old mans senseless error. At least, I think that I should be reinstated in Medicare Part B at once so that I can have the potential life saving operation NOW.

My husband and I opted for a Declaration of Informal Marriage, which, in Texas, is as valid and legal as a Ceremonial Marriage.
I was able to change my Texas Driver's License, to obtain health insurance through my husband's employer, to file my income tax return, etc. with my new name, no problems.
HOWEVER - when I went to the SS office to get a new card with my new name on it, I was denied. I was told that despite the Social Security Act stating that the SSA recognizes a marriage as valid whenever the State of the applicant recognizes the same, that provision was only for benefits and that I could not get a card with my new name without a court order.
My husband and I are trying to adopt 2-3 children via the state foster care system. We have every other requirement met, even having been fingerprinted and checked by the FBI/NCIC. No problems with our marital status at all.
Now, because the SSA refuses to give me a new SS card, our being certified as a foster/adoptive family is in limbo and we are being forced to get a ceremonial marriage license and start from scratch in the marriage department even though we ARE LEGALLY MARRIED to each other already.

I had to get my daughter's last name updated on her social security card so I went up to the office and dropped off the paper work that the application asked for. In the application it's self was listed my daughter's social security number as well as my own and my husband's, along with our address and her date of birth. Along with the application I also sent the court order of the name change as well as her updated birth certificate. Apparently I needed to send another document along with this to 'prove my identity' (how you can truly prove your identity through the mail is beyond me, but that is off subject), therefore they sent back the previously listed paperwork in a completely UNSEALED envelope. This envelope clearly stated that is was 'Official Business' from the Social Security Administration. When I tried to call the number provided there was no answer and I tried again four more times with the same result.
This means the my daughter's identity as well as my own and my husband's could be in anyone's hand and I will never know because I wouldn't know if the envelope was tampered with.

Some time agoSocial Security sent me forms for part B or D medical insurance for which I declined. I had to return a form, which I do some two months ago. Starting June, 2007, Social Security started taking out the premiums for the Part B or D medical insurance. In May, I called Social Security Administration and told them that I mailed the appropriate form back to them declining the medical insurance. They advised me that they had not received and sent me another form, which I completed again. I called May 31, 2007 and they stated that they still had not received this form. I am at a wits end to get this settled.

I went down to the SS office to change the name on my social security card. I had my prior license with my old name, my new license with my new name, my passport with my new name and the original marriage license documents. After waiting for two and a half hours, Barbara Duckworth told me that I didn't have enough proof to change my name or get another social security card. There was no reasoning with her. Barbara Duckworth said that my passport wasn't proof of identification and neither were my drivers licenses.
I am unable to file my taxes this year with the IRS, I missed 2.5 hours of work. Not being able to update my SS number is going to cause me severe stress and injury as I will not be able to file for my taxes, satisfy IRS requests or obtain new employment.

On 11/14/05 I received a letter stating that I would receive a check for $156.4 , a refund of Medicare payments.
I did not receive the check, called 11/28, xhwxk not mailed until 11/29.
Did not receive check, 12/6/05 wrote letter to Social Security Administration on line. No response.
12/13/called office above no check, they didn't like me attitude and hung up on me. 12/6/05 Called Mrs. Borjohn,not mailed in November wait until 12/16/05 and then call Mrs. Cant.
Did that but Mrs. Cant did not return my call. 12/20/05 left another message, no response. 1/7/06 Mrs. Debra Casada issued a replacement check and said that the original was mailed 11/7/05. No replacement check as of 1/15/06. How do I get this check?
This has proved to be a financial hardship to me, as I keep expecting it.

My father was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. My father applied for SS after being told by the doctors that he only had some weeks to live. According to SS cancer is not one of the diseases they consider to process a claim immediately. The representatives went ahead and filed the claim as normal and it is taking over 5 months to process. My father passed away, and to this day he has not received any benefits. I got a call today to give them a call or they would drop the case. I called and no answer, I also left a message 4 weeks ago explaining the situation and the still seem lost. I look to you (consumeraffairs) to guidance and educate people on this system of ours that we each pay into.
Going through this struggle has put my family in financial hardship and feel I'm contributing to a system that is put in place to fool me.

The software that the Social Security Administration (SSA) uses to
canonicalize mailing addresses when sending out social security cards
has a bug which causes correct ZIP codes in some addresses to be
replaced with incorrect ZIP codes.
This bug has been present for at least five years and has caused the
social security cards for three of my children to be lost in the
mail after their births.
The first two times this happened to me, the SSA resent a duplicate
card when I contacted them and complained that the original had never
arrived.
The first two times this happened to me, the SSA refused toinvestigate why the original card never arrived.
The third time this happened to me, I finally convinced the SSA toinvestigate, and the bug was exposed.
The SSA refuses to admit that the behavior of their software is a bug,
despite the fact that any competent software engineer familiar with
address-canonicalization technology would understand immediately that
it is after being given a test case illustrating it.
The SSA refuses to issue a duplicate card for my youngest child unless
I file a form SS-5, which requires that I either (a) send original,
personal identification documents through the mail, which I am
unwilling to do because of concerns about identity theft and document
loss, or (b) submit the form SS-5 in person at one of their offices,
which I am unwilling to do because I think it's entirely unreasonable
for me to have to miss work to correct the SSA's error.
The SSA has already admitted that my youngest child's card was lost inthe mail and that they know why this happened. They've been
corresponding with me at the address to which the card was supposed to
have been sent, which is in their records, which means that they know
for a fact that I am the father of the child whose card was lost and
that I am legally allowed to receive a copy of the card. That they
nevertheless refuse to issue a duplicate card has no legitimate
justification and can be explained only as bureaucratic inertia or a
stubborn refusal to admit fault.

I received a phone solicitation back in October of 2000 and was told that AARP had given them my name to receive this special service. The service was credit card fraud for $329.00. I would receive protection against anyone using my card. I am 72 years old and told them over and over on the phone I was not interested. They said they would go ahead and send me the details and I could think about it and return it and my credit card would be credited. The next day after taking with my niece I called and cancelled.
This cancelation is documented and AARP is pending the credit to my card. To date I have not received a credit from the Company. I have written several letters to both AARP and Security Providers. Yesterday I received a phone call form Thomas Peart and he informed me that the bank they had been doing business with has closed and it will take awhile before receiving credit. AARP will only hold the temporary credit until this month. I was told back in October that it would take two billing cycles, and now I am being told the bank went under back in October. I have letter documenting all my phone conversations. I have now asked my niece to help me because I recently lost my husband and can't deal with the added stress. Please tell me what I should do now.
Edith should the New Jersey Attorney General's office. A similar scam goes under the name R&R; Consultants.