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| Pension certificate, 1873 (National Postal Museum) |
When I joined the Chicago Sun-Times — 37 years ago this month — my job was to be half the writing staff of The Adviser, a weekly publication giving readers practical advice: how to raise a dog in the city, fight a traffic ticket, pick a health club (I cooked up that last one because I wanted to find a health club myself, and figured why not combine business and pleasure? Bottom line: avoid scams that present membership as an appreciating investment and pick something close to you, so you might actually go).
I wasn't with the features department long — on my second day at work, the city editor stopped by to say he wanted to lure me to the news side. But The Adviser gave me an affinity for those practical, how-to-get-a-stain-out-of-a-broadloom-rug type of story. A good news article makes readers think about something, a great one makes them do something.
In that light, "How Fraudsters Break Into Social Security Accounts and Steal Benefits," by Tara Siegel Bernard, which ran Sunday on the front page of the New York Times, must be a great article, because I don't believe I've ever snapped into action the way I did after reading it.
The story begins with an 88-year-old woman who had her Social Security benefits redirected by a criminal, who changed the bank account her check was sent to.
"This particular fraud — where criminals use stolen personal information to break into online Social Security accounts or create new ones, and divert benefits elsewhere — has plagued people for more than a decade," Bernard writes.
And I realized: I'd never signed up online with Social Security to create an account, at myaccount.ssa.gov. So anybody who got my Social Security number — from a data breach, say — could go online, sign up for me, apply for my benefits which, being 63, I'm eligible to start receiving, then direct the money wherever they pleased. And I'd never know it happened, maybe not for years, until I go to retire and discover that someone is already receiving my benefits.
I leaped up from the breakfast table, bolted upstairs and immediately signed up.
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Keep your Social Security card in a safe and secure place, because it can be a royal pain to replace it, as my wife found out a few years ago. We only need to produce it during tax time, at the non-profit agency that files income tax returns for seniors, at no cost.
ReplyDeleteThe one I showed them was my original card, now faded and yellowed with age. Received it when I was 12, after doing clerical work at my father's CPA firm, in 1959.
Anyone know why we're not allowed to laminate or otherwise protect the cheap paper card? DLs are plasticized. As are insurance and other cards.
DeleteGood advice, Mr. S.
ReplyDeleteRetired almost 13 years, Social Security and Medicare are a lifeline. Came home Monday after a week in the hospital, which would be ruinous without Medicare. Republicans are asshats to want to steal the benefits (not "entitlements" which has become a pejorative.
ReplyDeleteIf the republicans want to 'take' my social security and medicare, just pay me what I've contributed from age 21 through 72-plus interest-and we'll call it square. If the idea of 'reforming' those terrific programs doesn't make people vote for Biden, I can't imagine what would. They don't call it 'the third rail' of politics for no reason. And both can easily be made solvent by raising the amount that is taken from paychecks. Mine stopped in August and a relative's stopped in June. That alone solves the problem.
ReplyDeleteIt is easy to do! Can I ask for updated advice on fighting a parking ticket? Or a red light camera ticket?
ReplyDeleteI'll put it on the list...
DeleteOn the subject of social security, did you know that if you pay into Soc Sec for 15 years in a non-government job, and later work for 20 years as a public school teacher, you LOSE almost 50% of your Soc Sec retirement benefit when you retire? Because they get a “government” pension. Try that on any UAW worker (or similar) that retires with his pension and FULL Soc Sec benefit. Government work is very unattr
ReplyDeleteMy grandson was born Jan 39. With the exception of his pediatrician, he did not see another human face for months aside from his parents and us. When he first began seeing new faces he would turn away. Four years later he is still very leery of strangers.
ReplyDeleteI assume the above comment came to the wrong story, but I respond. Two nieces born during covid restrictions were initially leery, as many infants and toddlers are, but are gregaious and cheerful. Nature? Nurture?
DeleteI’m not sure if you’re aware of this but those born in 1960 may take a hit with their SSA. Maybe it’s been fixed? Not sure
ReplyDeletehttps://www.aarp.org/retirement/social-security/info-2020/pandemic-impacts-1960-birth-year-benefits.html