With less than a week to go before a deadline that the Social Security Administration set to end phone support for certain customer service needs, the agency braked and hit reverse.
The controversial plan to crack down on customer service for anyone applying for new benefits or checking benefits was set to start April 14, ending phone service support for retirees and survivors applying for benefits or for beneficiaries making direct deposit changes.
The clamp down on telephone access was ostensibly aimed at curbing identity fraud in which scammers call the agency impersonating a beneficiary and have benefits redirected to their own bank account. The new rule required anyone applying for new benefits or checking benefits to first verify their identity online or make an appointment at one of the agency’s field offices.
The changes set off alarm bells among seniors, disabled people, advocates and some lawmakers for creating roadblocks, especially to those in rural areas without reliable internet service or who lack computer skills.
“Many seniors and people with disabilities lack internet service, computers or smartphones, or the technological savvy to navigate a multistep, multifactor online verification process,” said Kathleen Romig, director of Social Security and Disability Policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
More than 4 in 10 retirees apply for their Social Security benefits by phone, as do most spouses who are eligible for benefits, according to a CBPP report. The majority of family members who are eligible for survivor benefits following a death also apply by phone.
An internal Social Security memo says eliminating phone service would require 75,000 to 85,000 more people per week to visit an office — over 4 million annually. The CBPP estimates that some 6 million seniors live at least 45 miles from the nearest Social Security office.
With the course correction, beginning on April 14, SSA will allow all claim types to be completed over the phone, a White House official told Yahoo Finance on background.
“Because the anti-fraud team implemented new technological capabilities so quickly, SSA can now perform anti-fraud check on all claims filed over the phone,” the official said.
The new software allows the SSA to flag abnormal behavior in a person’s account. Individuals who have been flagged would be required to perform in-person ID proofing for the claim to be further processed.
“President Trump has repeatedly promised to protect Social Security and uproot waste, fraud, and abuse across the federal government,” according to Liz Huston, a White House spokesperson.
“The Social Security anti-fraud team has worked around the clock in person to improve technological capabilities, and they are now able to identify fraud on claims filed over the telephone,” she said.
Social Security’s website highlighted the news on Thursday: “You can call us at 1-800-772-1213 between 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. local time, Monday through Friday. Wait times to speak to a representative are typically shorter in the morning, later in the week, and later in the month. Our automated telephone services are available 24 hours a day and do not require you to wait to speak with a representative.”
“We’re encouraged that the Social Security Administration is listening to millions of Americans around the country about the impact customer service changes would have on their lives,” AARP’s chief advocacy and engagement officer Nancy LeaMond, said in a statement.
Max Richtman, president and CEO of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, emphasized that the administration did not reverse course “out of the goodness of their hearts.”
“They responded to public pressure,” Richtman told Yahoo Finance. “This is a victory for advocacy on the grassroots and national level, by and on behalf of the millions of seniors that depend on phone service from the Social Security administration. The Trump administration has been busy erecting barriers for people simply trying to access their earned benefits. We are glad this one barrier has fallen.”
Kerry Hannon is a Senior Columnist at Yahoo Finance. She is a career and retirement strategist and the author of 14 books, including “In Control at 50+: How to Succeed in the New World of Work” and “Never Too Old to Get Rich.” Follow her on Bluesky.
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