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CAN SOCIAL SECURITY SPY ON YOU?

Can the Social Security Administration (SSA) spy on you?  The answer is:  Yes, Social Security may investigate you.

The most likely way Social Security may check on you when you file a claim is by looking at your social media.  They can and do check your Facebook, Twitter or Instagram sites.  This is routine and if you file a disability claim you should expect that this is likely to happen.

If you are receiving Social Security disability or SSI benefits and someone files a fraud complaint on you, Social Security must investigate.  All reports of fraud must be investigated.  Example:  A neighbor notices you putting up Christmas lights on your house and calls Social Security to say that you are not really disabled.  As unfair as this may seem, Social Security will always investigate such reports.

Individuals who receive Social Security disability or SSI benefits must report to Social Security if they start working, open a business or become self-employed.  Such work activity may effect eligibility to continue receiving benefits. If a person fails to report  work or self-employment, Social Security may later want all the disability payments returned since the recipient began working and earning an income. This could amount to thousands of dollars of "over-payment" that SSA will want returned.

It there are more serious allegations of fraud you might be referred to the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for an investigation to see if any criminal laws have been broken.  The OIG is the official investigative arm of the Social Security Administration.

In short, Social Security may investigate any suspected fraud or violations of its rules.

Claimants, representative payees or beneficiaries who deal with Social Security should be careful to be honest and not to withhold information in a way that is misleading or dishonest.  Here are some of the ways individuals can get in serious trouble with Social Security:

  • Cashing or depositing Social Security checks after persons have become ineligible to receive benefits (such as gong back to work).
  • Signing someone else's name on a Social Security check.
  • Depositing someone's Social Security check into an unauthorized account.
  • Cashing/depositing a Social Security check after the beneficiary has died.  Note:  To be eligible for a benefit payment, the beneficiary must be living the entire month for which the benefit was paid.  For example:  Mr. Public passed away on June 12.  A family member cashed/deposited his June Social Security check.  If Mr. Public did not live the entire month of June, his June benefit check should be returned uncashed to the Social Security Administration.
  • Generally making any statement to Social Security that is dishonest, untrue or misleading is wrong and may be illegal.
  • Returning to work while receiving Social Security disability benefits and failing to notify Social Security.  This may result in an over-payment of benefits which Social Security will want returned later. Sometimes this can go on for months or years before Social Security catches the over payment.  But when they do (and they will) they will want all of the over payment returned.  

 The best bet when dealing with Social Security is complete honesty.  Notify your Social Security office when there are important changes in your circumstances:  you go back to work, your medical condition improves, you change your address, etc.  When receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, you should notify Social Security if your household income changes, your living arrangement changes, there is a change in the property you own, etc.

An ounce of prevention prevents a ton of troubles.

 

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