Social Security Administration Tightens Identity Verification, Requiring In-Person Visits
The Social Security Administration (SSA) is implementing stricter identity verification measures, requiring recipients and applicants to visit agency field offices in person to prove their identities, a move the agency says is aimed at curbing fraudulent claims, The Associated Press reports.
Effective March 31, individuals will no longer be able to verify their identity to the SSA over the phone. Those who cannot successfully verify their identity through the agency’s “my Social Security” online portal will also be required to make an in-person visit. This change will impact new Social Security applicants and existing recipients seeking to update their direct deposit information.
While the SSA aims to strengthen security, the move is already drawing criticism. Retiree advocates warn that the new requirements will disproportionately affect older Americans, particularly those in rural areas, individuals with disabilities and mobility limitations, and those who live far from SSA offices or have limited internet access.
The policy shift coincides with controversial plans to close dozens of Social Security offices nationwide and lay off thousands of agency workers. While the SSA leadership, led by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), downplays the impact of the closures, citing that many are smaller, remote hearing sites, critics fear a significant reduction in accessibility to critical services.
The SSA also announced it would expedite the processing of direct deposit change requests, both in person and online, to one business day. Previously, online changes were held for 30 days.
The move is occurring amidst broader concerns about the future of Social Security. DOGE’s goal to shrink the size of the federal government has sparked fears that benefit access will be further restricted. Elon Musk, with influence over DOGE, has publicly described Social Security as a “Ponzi scheme” and has pushed debunked theories about fraud within the program, suggesting it is a prime target for spending cuts.
These concerns are amplified by the closure of 47 Social Security field offices across the country, according to the DOGE website, impacting areas like Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Kentucky, and North Carolina.
Furthermore, a coalition of labor unions recently filed a lawsuit, seeking an emergency order to prevent DOGE from accessing the sensitive Social Security data of millions of Americans, raising further questions about data security and government overreach.
