The Social Security Administration has officially announced the end of identity verification through phone from the 31st of March 2025. According to SSA, this is done to reduce the chances of fraud and impose stricter identity verification measures. Millions of beneficiaries will now have to visit agency field offices rather than contact the agency on the phone. This move has raised genuine concerns for both the elderly as well as the disabled. This article brings you everything you need to know about the changes made in the Social Security identity verification process. The following article also includes reactions from the democrats regarding the situation.
Social Security Identity Verification: Beneficiaries Now Required To Visit Agency Field Offices
From the 31st of March onwards, the people receiving any benefits from the Social Security Administration will have to verify their identity online. The phone services that were available before will not end to prevent fraud. The beneficiaries will have to use the “My Social Security” online service to verify their identities. Those who are unable to do so are now required to visit an agency field office in person if they want to complete their verification process. The change will apply to both new SSA applicants as well as existing beneficiaries who wish to change their direct deposit information.
Direct Deposit Change Requests Expedited
The administration has also announced that it is going to expedite the processing of direct deposit requests. The process will speed up both in person as well as online. Before, the online requests for direct deposit changes were held for 30 days. However, with the new changes the process will be expedited to one day. Leland Dudek, who is the acting commissioner of SSA, mentioned how the agency is losing $100 million per year in social security deposit fraud. He added that Social Security can better protect Americans while expediting the services.
Democrats’ Reactions
Around 72.5 million of the people receiving benefits from the Social Security Administration are retired and disabled individuals. Many of these individuals do not have access to technology and suffer from immobility. John Larson, the top Democrat on the House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee, also expressed his views on the situation. He accused Trump and Musk of trying to create chaos and inefficiencies at SSA through this move requiring the elderly and disabled to visit the same field offices they are trying to close. According to him, they are doing so to privatize the system.
Concerns Raised Over Closed Offices
The official website of DOGE mentions that leases for around 47 Social Security field offices have ended. These offices are widely spread across various states like Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, North Carolina, Kentucky, and Florida. However, Dudek mentioned that all these offices were remote hearing sites that served few members of the public. Many American citizens expressed their concerns over how the efforts and actions of Trump and Musk to reduce government spending and federal government size will make getting benefits even harder.
Social Security Identity Verification: Public Reactions
Musk has been repeatedly coming up with theories about Social Security describing the federal benefit programs as fraud. These theories are already debunked. Still, Musk described it as a “Ponzi scheme,” suggesting these programs will be the prime target of DOGE for reducing government spending. Voters have raised questions about the Trump administration’s cuts including its plan for the old-age benefits program. Labor unions have also filed a suit in the federal court demanding an emergency stop to DOGE’s access to sensitive Social Security data.
