Choose Work Shares A Message From Social Security
Be on the lookout for fake Social Security calls. Have you ever received a threatening call from someone claiming to be someone you trust, like a government official? Have you been asked for your Social Security Number or other personal information?
These calls are not from Social Security! There are many telephone scams happening now, with the goal of tricking you into sharing your personal information and money. Don’t be fooled!
Sometimes, scammers pretend they’re from Social Security. The number you see on caller ID may even look like an official government number but it’s not. The caller may say there is a problem with your Social Security number or account or ask you to give them personal information like your Social Security Number or bank account. They may tell you that you must pay a fine using retail gift cards, pre-paid debit cards, wire transfers or cash to fix the problem or to avoid arrest.
These calls are not from the Social Security Administration. Use these tips to help you protect yourself.
Social Security will not:
Social Security will:
If you receive a suspicious call from someone who says they are from Social Security, please:
- Hang up right away.
- Never give your personal information, money, or retail gift cards.
- Report the scam at oig.ssa.gov/ to Social Security’s law enforcement team at the Office of the Inspector General .
If you’re not sure if a call or piece of mail is from Social Security, call 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 to check.
Other Payments May Affect Your Disability Benefits
If you receive certain other government benefits, such as workers’ compensation, public disability benefits, or pensions based on work not covered by Social Security , the Social Security benefits payable to you and your family may be reduced.
For more information about how these benefits can affect your Social Security payments, please refer to the following publications:
Fraud Waste And Abuse
Listed below is every identifiable form of fraud, waste, or abuse, as defined by the SSA.
- Making false statements on claims.
- Concealing facts or events which affect eligibility for benefits.
- Misuse of benefits by a representative.
- SSN misuse involving people with links to terrorist groups or activities.
- Buying or selling counterfeit or legitimate social security cards.
- Crimes involving SSA employees.
- Scams involving the impersonation of an SSA employee.
- Bribery of a SSA employee.
- Fraud or misuse of grant or contracting funds.
- Standards of conduct violations.
- Workers compensation fraud.
The OIG takes cases of fraud extremely seriously in order to protect those in real need of SSA assistance. If you suspect someone has committed fraud, you can report it to the OIG through their website.
Read Also: Changing Va Direct Deposit
We Can Assist Through Every Step Of The Ssdi Process
Applying for SSDI benefits can be a lengthy process, often resulting in an initial denial of your benefits. We can help you fill out your Social Security Administration paperwork, which requires extensive information about your medical and work history.
The documentation you need includes:
- Your birth certificate
- Proof of United States citizenship
- Your tax returns
- A completed Adult Disability Report
- Your medical records
- Proof of workers compensation or other benefits
Social Security Warns Public About Text Phishing Scheme Targeting Disability Applicants And Beneficiaries
Social Security is warning people who have applied for Social Security benefits, or who are receiving Social Security benefits, about a text phishing scheme that has recently started. SSA has received reports from Disability Representatives indicating that some of their clients are receiving suspicious text messages, asking them to call a telephone number for information about their Social Security disability benefits, or about their disability claim, or about their disability hearing. This appears to be happening in a number of different cities and states.
According to these reports, individuals posing as Government officials have sent texts to several Social Security disability applicants and beneficiaries in an attempt to elicit a responsepossibly to obtain their personal and financial information. These texts are being sent to many phone numbers, hoping someone will respond and give out personal information. Some of the texts may use language like:
Disability Alert: Please call xxx-xxx-xxxx regarding your recent disability benefits application.
Disability Alert: Please call xxx-xxx-xxxx about your disability claim or your hearing may be delayed.
We are working on your disability case and we would like to speak to you. Please call xxx-xxx-xxxx.
If someone asks you to give them any personal information, do not give out any information.
Don’t Miss: Autism Is The Fastest Growing Developmental Disability
What Insurance Do You Get With Social Security Disability
Social Security Disability Insurance provides monthly benefit payments to people who earned the required number of work credits and suffer from a disabling physical or mental impairment. But no immediate health insurance coverage is provided for most SSD recipients until after 24 months.
London Eligibility Disability advocates want every one of our clients to understand their SSD benefits completely, including what is not covered by the SSD program. This blog post will explain how Medicare kicks in after 24 months for most recipients, why the health insurance coverage is delayed, and what other sources of health insurance coverage might be available during your two-year Medicare waiting period. Contact an experienced SSD lawyer or SSD and SSI advocate at London Eligibility for more details.
The Other Parts Of Medicare
- Medicare Advantage Plan people with Medicare Parts A and Part B can choose to receive all of their health care services through plans that are offered by private companies and approved by Medicare. For more information, we recommend you read Medicare’s How do Medicare Advantage Plans work?
- Medicare Part D helps pay for medications doctors prescribe for treatment. For more information on the enrollment periods for Part D, we recommend you read Medicare’s How to get prescription drug coverage page.
If you receive Medicare and have limited resources and income, you may be eligible for Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs.
Recommended Reading: Does Sciatica Qualify For Short Term Disability
Earn Ssa Work Credits In Some Countries
You may not have enough credits from your work in the United States to qualify for retirement benefits. But, you may be able to count your work credits from another country. The SSA has agreements with 24 countries. If you earned credits in one of those countries, they can help you qualify for U.S. benefits.
Not Cooperating With Ssas Requirements
If you ignore SSAs requests for additional information or otherwise fail to cooperate during any step of the application or appeals process, your claim will hardly be successful. Thats why you need the help of an attorney to ensure you do everything as required.
As soon as you understand the reason your case was denied, you and your attorney can start work on rectifying the issue before you appear in court.
Also Check: How Much Does Disability Pay In Ny
Fraudulent Disability Claim Or Unemployment Claim
Government agencies like the Department of Labor, the Social Security Administration, and state unemployment agencies watch for potentially fraudulent behavior.
For example, unemployment beneficiaries may be asked if they are actively seeking work, but also be asked if they have filed a disability claim. Personnel reviewing an unemployment application claim may red flag someone who says they have filed for disability. If the agency determines that the individual has received benefits in error, the individual typically has to repay the benefits.
Heres How To Make Those Bogus Social Security Calls Stop
HOUSTON The coronavirus pandemic shut down a lot of operations, but there is actually one we all wanted to go away: those scam calls claiming to be from the Social Security Administration. Like a stubborn weed, however, they just keep coming back. The calls tapered off from March through late July, but in recent weeks, people have started getting them again.
You May Like: Social Security Disability Degenerative Disc Disease
Office Of The Inspector General
The Office of the Inspector General at the Social Security Administration was established in March 1995. The purpose of the OIG is to:
- Oversee efficiency and effectiveness of administration of SSA programs.
- Prevent and detect fraud, waste, and abuse in SSA programs.
- Inform SSA and Congress about agency problems and recommend corrections.
The OIG works alongside the Office of Anti-Fraud Programs and Disability Determination Services in the Cooperative Disability Investigation program to effectively combat cases of fraud, waste, and abuse.
These programs exist to ensure that the SSA is able to provide adequate aid to those in dire need. This is why the OIG takes responsibility for intensely investigating all potential instances of fraud and aggressively prosecuting individuals who commit fraud.
Indiana Disability Determination Bureau
Title II covers workers who have established eligibility through prior work and Title XVI has a needs-based income and resource eligibility requirement. The purpose of these programs is to identify people who have disabilities that preclude the ability to work, or for children, preclude the ability to fully participate in learning activities. These programs have two desired outcomes. The first desired outcome is to correctly identify disabled adults and children. The second desired outcome is to have adults with potential referred to a public or private Vocational Rehabilitation Services, through the Social Security Administrations Ticket to Work program.
In order to accomplish its mission, the Indiana DDB must work closely with the 26 local SSA Field Offices throughout Indiana, and Social Security Administration at the regional and national levels. The DDB must follow the statutory definition of disability in making its medical determinations.
Also Check: Military To Civilian Pay Calculator
Fraudulent Threatening Phone Calls
When the National Council on Aging announced its “Scams to Watch Out For” in 2019, bogus phone calls related to Social Security benefits topped the list. The Federal Trade Commission says the number of such calls and their financial impact is growing exponentially.
The calls often involve peopleor robotic voicespretending to be from the Social Security Administration who try to get your Social Security number or demand money, according to the FTC. The agency warns that callers sometimes use spoofing techniques to make the genuine Social Security hotline number appear on the recipients caller ID screen. The caller may also identify themselves using the name of an actual SSA official.
The SSA says the language used in these calls has become increasingly threatening in recent years. The caller typically states that due to improper or illegal activity with the persons Social Security number or account, they will be arrested or face other legal action unless they call a particular phone number to address the issue.
The tone of such calls is itself an indicator that they are fraudulent. The SSA does contact some recipients by phone, but theyre almost always people who have current business with the agency. And an SSA employee will never threaten you for information they will not state that you face potential arrest or other legal action if you fail to provide information, the agency says. In cases the call is fraudulent.
What Is A Social Security Card
Your Social Security card is an important piece of identification. You’ll need one to get a job, collect Social Security, or receive other government benefits.
When you apply for a Social Security number , the Social Security Administration will assign you a nine-digit number. This is the same number that is printed on the Social Security card that SSA will issue you. If you change your name, you will need to get a corrected card.
Recommended Reading: Universal Express Pass Military Discount
Can You Work If You Are On Social Security Disability
Although officially Social Security says that receiving unemployment benefits does not preclude disability benefits, the claims examiners and Administrative Law Judges tend to consider your filing for unemployment as an admission that you can work. Maybe You Can Work, But Only for the Right Employer The safest answers arent always the best.
Fake Email Headers And Phishing
Victims can also be reeled in by phishing emails that appear to be messages from the SSA. The emails may have attachments that resemble actual letters from the SSA, complete with the agency’s seal and similar font styles. The email messages may also direct readers to a fake web page designed to look like the real SSA website.
The motive is to obtain personal information from you, which you should never provide. The same clues of fraudulent intent as with the phone calls apply here. The SSA says that legitimate emails from the agency never seek personal information and do not adopt an alarmist or threatening tone.
The Social Security Administration says it will never use intimidating or threatening language in any form of communication.
Also Check: How To Get Disability For Foot Pain
Can I Apply For Disability While Im Receiving Unemployment Benefits
March 11, 2021 by Andrew Price
The Federal government announced a new stimulus bill this week which extends federal unemployment benefits for workers displaced by the Covid-19 pandemic through September. This federal boost to North Carolinas existing unemployment benefits has now been in place for over a year and may impact disability claimants.
Dont Miss: How To Earn Money When Unemployed
Who Qualifies For Ssdi
According to the SSA, workers earn SSDI protection through payroll taxes they contribute. To qualify for SSDI payments, workers must:
- Not be able to go back to work or adjust to a new line of work
- Suffer from a disability lasting more than 12 months
- Suffer from a disability that leads to their demise
- Have a condition that prevents them from performing substantial gainful activity
Also Check: Disability In Mo
Cant Find What Youre Looking For
We are constantly expanding our online service offerings to give you freedom and control in how you wish to conduct business with Social Security. Today, you can apply for benefits, check the status of your claim or appeal, request a replacement Social Security card , get an instant benefit verification letter, and much more.
American Rescue Plan Act of 2021
Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefits
The Canada Pension Plan provides monthly payments to people who contribute to the plan during their working years.
You may be eligible for CPP disability benefits if:
- you contributed to the CPP for a certain number of years
- you’re under 65 years old
- you have a severe and prolonged mental or physical disability
- your disability prevents you from working on a regular basis
The benefits include payments to children of a person with a disability.
Apply as early as possible if you think you’re eligible for CPP disability benefits. Quebec residents may be eligible for a similar program called the Quebec Pension Plan . It may take several months to process your application.
If you applied for CPP or QPP disability benefits and were told that you’re not eligible, you can ask to have your application reviewed or considered again.
Once you reach age 65, your CPP disability benefit will automatically change to regular CPP payments. Your regular CPP payments may be less than the CPP disability payments you got before.
If so, consider:
Don’t Miss: Aflac Short Term Disability Pregnancy Bed Rest
Eligibility For Social Security Disability
You may be eligible for disability benefits if you can show you have a condition that will affect you for at least a year and will keep you from working. You need strong medical evidence, such as a clear opinion from your treating doctor and test results or the results of a physical exam.
You will also need an explanation of how you developed tendinitis and why your work caused it. Your doctor will need to provide a written statement that you developed tendinitis from your job.
It is important to note tendinitis is not listed in the Social Security Administrationâs blue book. However, you may be able to qualify for benefits if you meet the criteria under another listing. For example, you might qualify under Listing 1.02: Major dysfunction of a joint. You would need to prove tendinitis has affected your wrist joints in such a way you cannot perform gross and fine movements.
You would likely need to undergo a residual function capacity assessment to determine what types of work you would be able to do with your condition. The SSA will be looking to determine if you can sustain full-time work without the need for frequent breaks or days off and can be productive while on the job.
Insurance Options During The 24
Several other sources of healthcare insurance are available to Social Security Disability benefit recipients. Some of the programs are employment-related and others are based on financial need. A partial list of alternative insurance sources includes the following:
State Workers Compensation
The Social Security Disability Insurance program pays benefits to disabled people who worked at least long enough to accumulate the work credits necessary to qualify for the program. The fact that all SSD recipients worked before they were disabled means that a high number of SSD recipients suffered work-related injuries or illnesses. For those SSD benefits recipients, state workers compensation benefits provide payments for any healthcare or medical expenses incurred because of the work-related injury or illness. Unfortunately, workers comp does not cover costs for any healthcare required for non-work-related illness or injury.
Supplemental Security Income
Social Security Disability claimants whose disabling impairment is not related to their prior employment, may be eligible for Supplemental Security Income . Unlike the SSD program, SSI is a needs-based program that pays monthly benefits to low-income disabled persons who have limited financial resources. The SSI program provides immediate Medicaid coverage to all benefit recipients.
Medicaid
State Health Insurance Marketplace
You May Like: Did Joe Cocker Have Children