Social Security says it will no longer accept bank changes over the phone

(NewsNation) — Americans will no longer be able to change their Social Security bank account information over the phone — a move the agency said will help eliminate the risk of fraud.

"Approximately 40 percent of Social Security direct deposit fraud is associated with someone calling SSA to change direct deposit bank information. SSA’s current protocol of simply asking identifying questions by telephone is no longer enough to prevent fraud," the Social Security Administration (SSA) said Wednesday.

Those who need to update their direct deposit information or make other bank account changes with the agency will have two options:

Online: Using two-factor authentication via their "my Social Security" account
In-person: Visiting a local Social Security office to prove their identity

The change will start on March 29, according to a post on X from the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). However, the official press release did not include a specific date.

"SSA is increasing its protection for America’s seniors and other beneficiaries by eliminating the risk of fraud associated with changing bank account information by telephone," the agency said in a statement.

All other Social Security telephone services will remain the same. The agency said media reports about a broader reduction in telephone services were "inaccurate."

Hours before the announcement, the Washington Post reported that the Social Security Administration was considering a far-reaching proposal that would have eliminated phone service for the millions of Americans filing retirement and disability claims.

Musk's DOGE team was behind the push to curb phone service, which was aimed at rooting out alleged fraud, the Post reported. If it had moved forward, the plan would have required elderly and disabled people to rely on the internet and in-person field offices to process their claims.

Both Musk and President Donald Trump have pushed debunked theories suggesting millions of dead people are receiving Social Security payments. However, those claims were quickly proven false by the agency's own data.

The Social Security Administration did not say how much fraud is believed to occur through direct deposit transactions in its statement on Wednesday.

More than 70 million people receive Social Security benefits, including nearly 90% of those 65 and older, meaning even small policy changes can impact millions of Americans.

Last month, the Social Security Administration said it planned to cut roughly 7,000 workers, about 12% of its staff, as the Trump administration looks to dramatically reshape the federal workforce.

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