Social Security agency to require in-person or online identity confirmation
The new policy will officially begin on March 31, but the agency said it will carefully make the transition over the next two weeks.
To better protect from fraudulent claims, the Social Security Administration announced it’ll be implementing “stronger identity verification procedures,” including requiring millions of recipients and applicants to physically go to agency field offices instead of phone calls.
The updated policy will be put in place over the next two weeks, according to the SSA. These safeguards will significantly impact individuals who seek services and who do not have access to their “My Social Security” account, which requires online identity proofing. The agency said that those in this situation must visit a local Social Security office to prove their identity in person.
“Americans deserve to have their Social Security records protected with the utmost integrity and vigilance,” Lee Dudek, acting Commissioner of Social Security, said on Tuesday. “For far too long, the agency has used antiquated methods for proving identity. Social Security can better protect Americans while expediting service.”
Another change includes the agency expediting the processing of all direct deposit requests, whether made in person or online, to one business day, the SSA said. Before this update, online direct deposit changes were held for 30 days, the agency added.
New SSA policy will go into effect March 31
The SSA’s two-week transition plan will include training frontline employees and management about the new safeguards and carefully monitoring policy compliance, according to the agency. On March 31, the agency will officially enforce online digital identity proofing and in-person identity proofing, the SSA said.
Individuals who do not or cannot use the online “My Social Security” account services will be able to start their claim for benefits on the phone, the agency said. However, according to the SSA, the claim cannot be finalized until the individual’s identity is verified in person.
The SSA recommends people without online access call an agency field office and request an in-person appointment to initiate and complete the claim in one interaction. Whether an individual has an appointment or not, they will need to prove their identity before beginning a transaction, according to the agency.
SSA employees, including frontline workers in all offices across the United States, were told to work in the office five days a week. The agency said the in-office policy “ensures maximum staffing is available to support the stronger in-person identity proofing requirement.”
Trump, Elon Musk claim fraud within SSA
President Donald Trump and his senior adviser Elon Musk have both raised concerns about potential fraud within the SSA.
While speaking with Fox Business’ Larry Kudlow last week, Musk said the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which the 53-year-old is the unofficial leader of, was tapped to hire 100 people who will expand and oversee nearly every government agency. Musk alleged fraud in multiple agencies, including the SSA.
“What we’re adding here is caring and competence,” he said in the interview. “There’s a massive amount of fraud of, basically, people submitting Social Security numbers for Social Security benefits, unemployment, Small Business Administration loans and medical. ... Those are fake Social Security numbers or they’ve stolen somebody else’s Social Security number. We’re trying to put a stop to all of that.”
Musk’s assertion that there are hundreds of billions of dollars each year in Social Security fraud was echoed by Trump at his address to Congress this month, despite the SSA inspector general's office reporting in August 2024 that the agency made roughly $71.8 billion in improper payments between fiscal years 2015 and 2022. Of the billions in improper payments, $23 billion remains unrecovered, the office said.
“I’m not going to touch Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid. Now, we’re going to get fraud out of there,” Trump said earlier this month on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures.” Everybody wants us to get the fraud out, and therefore you’ll make it better.”
Contributing: Paste BN’s Joey Garrison, Medora Lee and Kinsey Crowley