WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Social Security Administration said on Wednesday that it will no longer process changes to direct-deposit routing numbers over the phone, but its other telephone services would remain unchanged.
The statement from the agency came after the Washington Post earlier reported that Social Security Administration had considered ending telephone service for claims processing and direct-deposit bank account transactions, and instead directing retirees and disabled people to the internet and in-person field offices.
“Approximately 40 percent of Social Security direct deposit fraud is associated with someone calling SSA to change direct deposit bank information,” the agency said in a statement announcing the move to end telephone service to process such changes.
(Reporting by Ismail Shakil and Caitlin Webber; editing by Susan Heavey and Leslie Adler)
