A CONCERNED Social Security recipient was told she was being overpaid by $3,000.
She made a post in a Facebook community group about her situation, hoping to get some advice.
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User Stephanie Barrows shared a post on Facebook, detailing a letter he received from the Social Security Administration (SSA).
“I received an overpayment letter from social security that [sic] It says they paid me over 3k in May 2020, what does that mean?” she asked.
“Do I need a lawyer?” Stephanie added.
In reaction to her post in the Facebook group, many other members responded, echoing Stephanie’s concerns or warning her to check whether the letter, in fact, came from the SSA.
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“The first question I have is: Did they do this?” one person questioned. “If so, why didn’t you contact them immediately? You should know how much you should receive with each payment. If you haven’t received the overpayment, you may need to seek representation.”
“Did they explain why?” another commented. “They will take it from your check and let you know when and how much.”
To this, Stephanie replied: “No and when I call, they hang up on me.”
“Check the phone number and try calling,” warned a third person.
AVOIDING SCAMS
The Social Security Administration advises Americans to avoid scam calls and Internet phishing schemes by refraining from disclosing personal information, clicking on suspicious links or opening dubious attachments.
The agency emphasizes that most Social Security emails will originate from a “.gov” email address.
In cases where an email address does not have the “.gov” suffix, caution should be exercised before accessing attachments or clicking on images or links.
For more guidance on protecting personal information and online accounts, individuals are encouraged to visit the Administration’s security page.
If you suspect the authenticity of an email received from the Social Security Administration, it is advisable to refrain from responding or clicking on any links in the message.
In these cases, SSA recommends reporting the email by forwarding it to the US Computer Emergency Preparedness Team (US-CERT) at phishing-report@us-cert.gov.
In 2021 alone, there were more than 568,000 reports of attempted Social Security-related scams, resulting in losses to victims exceeding $63.6 million, according to the agency.
Government officials suggest that many more incidents may go unreported due to feelings of shame or embarrassment.
Scammers often resort to tactics such as threatening arrest if a supposed fee or fine is not paid.
Additionally, they may use fabricated government badges, fake identification numbers, and counterfeit Social Security Administration letterhead in their correspondence.
“The Social Security Administration will never tell someone to transfer money, buy gift cards or pay with cryptocurrency,” said Gail Ennis, inspector general at the Social Security Administration.
“If anyone asks you that, you know it’s a scam.”
OVERPAYMENT SCARES
In other overpayment charges, a disabled citizen revealed that a small error could have resulted in an overpayment by Social Security.
An anxious American found himself in a frantic search for assistance after being asked by Social Security to immediately repay $45,000.
“Can anyone help? I just received a letter from Disability saying that I am no longer eligible for disability as of August 2020 due to substantial paid work,” they wrote on Facebook.
The individual, who preferred to remain anonymous, revealed his disability status since 1998.
How to deal with improper payments
Receiving an overpayment notice can be upsetting or confusing, but the Social Security Administration has provided ways to help you with the situation:
- Upon receiving a notification of undue payment from the ASS, it is crucial to carefully review the details provided. Each individual’s circumstances are unique and the SSA handles overpayments on a case-by-case basis.
- The notice will specify the amount of overpayment, the reason for the overpayment, and the options available for refund, appeal of the decision, or request for a waiver.
- If you wish to appeal the decision or request relief from your overpayment, or if you have any questions regarding this, SSA asks that you contact us.
- Failure to contact the SSA within 60 days may result in your monthly benefit payments beginning to be reduced to recover the overpayment.
Over the past 20 years, they have experienced inconsistent employment due to health problems.
However, they suspect that a particular job may have led Social Security to request a refund of the funds.
“In 2020 I was employed for a total of 14 months. However, I WORKED 4 months of those 18 months and received statutory sick pay for 12 of the 18 months I worked there (during COVID),” they said.
“It was a work from home position and they fired me instead of giving me the reasonable adjustments I requested. We are currently in a legal battle over this.”
By participating in “12 months of work over a 25-year period,” they believe they are at risk of losing their benefits.
In other Social Security news, a beneficiary was told she only had 30 days to repay more than $5,000 or her benefits would be cut.
And one couple experienced a feeling of “sheer panic” when they received a letter notifying them that they owed the SSA $84,000.
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