Millions face new hurdles under US Social Security ID verification overhaul

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is preparing to roll out new identity-proofing requirements that could affect millions of Americans, reshaping how beneficiaries interact with the agency and access their benefits. This shift, ostensibly aimed at reducing fraudulent payments, has sparked widespread concern among retirees, disability advocates, and public service organizations.

The upcoming policy changes, which were initially slated for March 31 but now scheduled for April 14, reflect a growing tension between the agency’s goals of modernizing its operations and the real-world accessibility needs of its most vulnerable clients.

Under the new rules, individuals seeking to verify their identity to access services such as retirement benefits or direct deposit updates will no longer be able to do so over the phone. Instead, they must either register through the SSA’s online My Social Security platform or appear in person at a local field office or, potentially, a U.S. post office.

Delma Cardona, SSA assistant deputy commissioner of operations, informed agency officials this week that a scaled-back version of the agency’s identity-proofing policy will take effect on April 14.

The revised policy will now apply only to retirees and their survivors, excluding individuals who receive disability benefits or Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

“We’re hoping that addresses some of the concerns that we know are out there,” Cardona said

In addition to the identity verification changes, SSA will also stop processing direct deposit changes through its 1-800 toll-free number starting April 14. Instead, the agency plans to introduce a specialized phone queue where employees will assist callers in creating a mySSA account or guide them through the steps to update their direct deposit information online.

Cardona acknowledged that not all beneficiaries will be able to navigate the new system. “We know that there’s individuals that are going to fall out from that process. We know that direct deposit for Title 16 does not exist on My Social Security,” she said, referring to the provision of the Social Security Act that governs SSI. “Those individuals will be reverted to in-person services until we have some additional options available to them that we are currently working on.”

The elimination of phone verification has been framed by the SSA as a necessary step to combat fraud. According to acting SSA Commissioner Leland Dudek, the agency currently loses more than $100 million annually due to direct deposit fraud, a number that has raised alarms within the agency and prompted urgent reform. Critics and former SSA officials, however, dispute that blatant fraud is taking place.

Initially, the identity-proofing overhaul was set to affect all SSA beneficiaries, including those receiving disability and SSI payments. But after swift and vocal pushback from advocacy groups, retirees, and disability rights organizations, SSA scaled back its plan. SSI and disability beneficiaries will be exempt from the more stringent identity-verification rules — at least for now.

The outcry that led to this revision came from several fronts. Critics argued that the initial proposal disproportionately harmed groups that are already at risk of being underserved, including elderly Americans in rural areas, people without reliable internet access, and individuals with limited mobility or disabilities. For many in these groups, the option to verify identity by phone was a crucial lifeline. Removing it, advocates warned, would effectively cut off access to essential services for thousands, if not millions, of people.

“They can use their phone, they can use an iPad — they might be able to use their relative’s, if they don’t have one — to be able to prove their identity with Social Security,” Cardona assured.

Meanwhile, and in response to all the concerns, SSA is seeking to expand the availability of in-person verification options by partnering with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). With nearly 19,000 locations across the U.S. — compared to the SSA’s 1,230 field offices — USPS offers a vastly broader geographic reach. Cardona emphasized that 99 percent of Americans live within ten miles of a post office, which could help in mitigating the fallout from SSA’s reduced phone services.

“When you compare the number of post offices to the number of field offices that we have available, they are much, much larger,” Cardona said. “We have been in communication with the Department of Labor, and we are in communication very soon with the post offices to be able to leverage that option.”

Cardona said she doesn’t expect SSA will finalize a partnership with USPS right away, “but we are trying our best to make it available by [April] 14th or shortly thereafter.”

The USPS has been piloting in-person identity proofing at kiosks from NextgenID, which is the first solution certified to the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s identity assurance level 3 (IAL3), for two years.

SSA is also exploring a video service delivery option which would allow beneficiaries to verify their identity through a virtual appointment using a smartphone, tablet, or computer. However, this feature is still under review, and SSA is conducting a risk assessment to ensure that any facial recognition or video technology that is used meets strict security standards.

Cardona acknowledged the challenge, saying that while SSA wants to protect its systems from fraudsters, it must also avoid implementing security protocols that are so burdensome they exclude legitimate beneficiaries.

“If using video is not a secure option, then it’s going to defeat the purpose of what we’re trying to do,” Cardona said. “We need to make sure that it is safe and secure enough that it allows us to accept the documentation, and we are comfortable that it’s not a fraudster or a bad actor who’s behind the other side of the screen.”

Remote identity proofing has long been a sticking point for federal agencies. The General Services Administration, which oversees Login.gov, came under fire last year for misleading agency clients about whether its platform meets NIST’s identity assurance level 2 (IAL2) standard. Similarly, the IRS faced a significant backlash in 2022 for requiring taxpayers to use facial recognition technology provided by the private vendor ID.me. SSA appears determined to avoid similar controversies, though it is not immune from them.

Meanwhile, SSA has faced operational hurdles. The My Social Security website, intended to be the central hub for online identity verification, has experienced repeated outages in recent weeks. The Washington Post reported that the site crashed four times in ten days due to overloaded servers, blocking access for millions.

While SSA disputes that the entire site went down, it admitted that users encountered issues logging into their accounts during these incidents. These technical issues have raised serious questions about whether SSA is prepared to transition so many users to an online-first model.

Amid the turbulence, SSA’s broader communication strategy has also come under fire. While SSA officials have insisted that no widespread closures of field offices are planned, conflicting information has emerged. The so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led by Elon Musk published a list of SSA field offices marked for closure, further fueling confusion and concern. Although SSA has denied these reports, it confirmed the upcoming closure of offices across the nation.

SSA has justified the closures by citing underutilization, saying that most of SSA’s dealings with beneficiaries are now conducted virtually. Lawmakers and social security advocates, however, argue that the closures reflect a broader trend of shrinking in-person support, a move that could alienate the very populations SSA was created to serve.

Former agency officials, including past commissioner Martin O’Malley, have issued stark warnings about the potential fallout, arguing that the changes could lead to widespread service disruptions, especially if not paired with adequate technological and logistical support.

The political dimension of the controversy also cannot be ignored. It has been noted that the demographic most likely to be affected by SSA’s proposed changes — older, rural Americans — overlaps with the voter base of President Donald Trump. The perception that these changes are politically motivated, or at least politically negligent, has only deepened mistrust.

Adding fuel to the fire, Musk has been criticized for spreading misinformation about SSA’s fraud statistics. At a political rally in Wisconsin, Musk claimed that 40 percent of SSA calls were fraudulent, an assertion that has been debunked by multiple fact-checking outlets. Critics and Democratic lawmakers have blasted Musk for misinterpreting internal SSA data. Nevertheless, Musk’s erroneous claims have helped to justify the dramatic policy changes that many see as unnecessary and harmful.

As SSA moves forward with its revised identity-proofing measures, it finds itself walking a tightrope between modernizing operations and maintaining accessibility. The goal of reducing fraud is legitimate, but so too is the imperative to ensure that every eligible American can easily and securely access their benefits. Whether the agency can strike that balance in time for its April 14 rollout and avoid further chaos in the process remains to be seen.

Article Topics

digital identity  |  DOGE  |  fraud prevention  |  ID verification  |  identity proofing  |  remote identity proofing  |  social security  |  U.S. Government  |  United States