暗网禁区

03/19/25聽 Social Security Payments are the latest targets for DOGE. As of March 31st., there will be NO phone verification, you will have to verify on-site or....
Roddie in Retirement馃暤 - @roddiesho

Have a link for that?

How 暗网禁区s will cope with this is unclear

I guess none us dumb 暗网禁区s have internet connections or the SSA app and we have to rely on phone calls? Wake up it鈥檚 2025. Also, this only has to do with changing direct deposit accounts, which most people rarely do. They are trying to cut back on scammers who prey on SS recipients and have a long history of using the phone as a way to redirect scammed recipients deposits into their accounts. If you live in Brazil and have to change your direct deposit account and did not have Internet access for some reason, you would contact Lisbon Portugal anyway. I don鈥檛 believe this effects your average 暗网禁区 in Brazil at all.

Press Release | Press Office | SSA

Heres the no nonsense link. Straight from SSA

Press Release

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

For Immediate Release

Social Security Strengthens Identity Proofing Requirements and Expedites Direct Deposit Changes to One Day

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is taking proactive steps to enhance the security of its services by implementing stronger identity verification procedures. The updated measures will further safeguard Social Security records and benefits against fraudulent activity. Over the next two weeks, SSA will carefully transition to stronger identity proofing procedures for both benefit claims and direct deposit changes. Individuals seeking these services who cannot use their personal 鈥渕y Social Security鈥� account, which requires online identity proofing, will then need to visit a local Social Security office to prove their identity in person. At the same time, the agency will expedite processing all direct deposit change requests 鈥� both in person and online 鈥� to one business day. Prior to this change, online direct deposit changes were held for 30 days.

鈥淎mericans deserve to have their Social Security records protected with the utmost integrity and vigilance,鈥� said Lee Dudek, Acting Commissioner of Social Security. 鈥淔or far too long, the agency has used antiquated methods for proving identity. Social Security can better protect Americans while expediting service.鈥�

The agency鈥檚 two-week transition plan includes training frontline employees and management about the new policy and careful monitoring of policy compliance. At the conclusion of the transition period, on March 31, 2025, SSA will enforce online digital identity proofing and in-person identity proofing. SSA will permit individuals who do not or cannot use the agency鈥檚 online 鈥渕y Social Security鈥� services to start their claim for benefits on the telephone. However, the claim cannot be completed until the individual鈥檚 identity is verified in person. The agency therefore recommends calling to request an in-person appointment to begin and complete the claim in one interaction. Individuals with and without an appointment will need to prove identity before starting a transaction. Individuals who do not or cannot use the agency鈥檚 online 鈥渕y Social Security鈥� services to change their direct deposit information, can visit a local office to process the change or can call 1-800-772-1213 to schedule an in-person appointment.

SSA recently required nearly all agency employees, including frontline employees in all offices throughout the country, to work in the office five days a week. This change ensures maximum staffing is available to support the stronger in-person identity proofing requirement.

SSA plans to implement the Department of Treasury鈥檚 Bureau of Fiscal Service鈥檚 payment integrity service called Account Verification Service (AVS). AVS provides instant bank verification services to proactively and timely prevent fraud associated with direct deposit change requests.

The agency will continue to monitor and, if necessary, make adjustments, to ensure it pays the right person the right amount at the right time while at the same time safeguarding the benefits and programs it administers.

People who do not already have a 鈥渕y Social Security鈥� account can create one at

To get more Social Security news, follow the Press Office on X @SSAPress.

@Fred Thanx! My SSA Office in R.I. will be my first call tomorrow.

Roddie in Retirement馃暤

@bepmoht FYI, I had a lot of trouble trying to access their twin on-line portals. So much so that I stopped by the R.I. Office on my Immigration trip to the USA just to get things straightened out. Sometimes things can be harder than they appear. That website is a beast. I would not like to be in a situation where it was either fly to the USA or tackle that website.

Roddie in Retirement馃暤

@abthree Need Help!!! It has been said on this thread that this only affects CHANGES to your account. I have a feeling that even if it is business as usuais, you need to verify your account or else.

Roddie in Retirement馃暤

@abthree Need Help!!! It has been said on this thread that this only affects CHANGES to your account. I have a feeling that even if it is business as usuais, you need to verify your account or else.
Roddie in Retirement馃暤 - @roddiesho

That has a chance of being an accurate prediction.

The last couple of months have shown policies that are purely about saving money, regardless of where that money goes.

I see a strong possibility that ALL accounts will have to be verified at an office in the US.

Time will tell.

03/19/25 @abthree Need Help!!! It has been said on this thread that this only affects CHANGES to your account. I have a feeling that even if it is business as usuais, you need to verify your account or else.
Roddie in Retirement馃暤 - @roddiesho

I guess that we'll get our first indication on the 3rd, when payments to everyone whose accounts are administered through the FBU at the US Embassy in Lisbon - most 暗网禁区s in Portuguese speaking countries around the world, including Brazil - will see our payments hit our accounts.聽 聽I haven't had any problems accessing my account online, and neither AARP nor ACA are having coronaries over it, so I'm not expecting any, but we'll see.聽 If I don't see my payment, I'll post something here.

I gather that your account is still administered Stateside rather than in Lisbon.聽 You'll probably want to change that eventually, but don't try to do it now.聽 Wait for all this craziness to end.

To access your SSA account online, you'll need either a Login.gov account or an ID.me account, and an Authenticator app on your phone.聽 Login.gov works with either Microsoft Authenticator or Google Authenticator;聽 ID.me has its own app.聽 You can download any or all of them from your App Store.

If you have Global Entry or any other US Government Trusted Traveler program, you probably already have a Login.gov account and can use it to access your SSA account.聽 聽If not, it's probably easier to set聽 one up than ID.me, which requires a good internet connection, a webcam, and a videocall with the ID.me people.聽 But block yourself out some time to give one or both a try, because it appears that contacting SSA by phone is going to be difficult for a while.

@abthree My purpose in going to the SSA office in R.I. was to gain access to the website and get the cost of living increase document for 2024? I just tried the SSA sign-in and it is very possible that I did not try for a change of address to Brazil at that time. I have plenty of money set aside, but on a monthly basis I definitely need this to work. It looks like the question is .... Do I change my address to Brazil now, or NOT verify and do it after the 31st.

I looked thru their website, but it is anything but clear on what the direction should be.

FYI My payments are sent through PayPal, so that would not change no matter.

Roddie used to be in Retirement 馃暤

03/20/25聽 @abthree My purpose in going to the SSA office in R.I. was to gain access to the website and get the cost of living increase document for 2024? I just tried the SSA sign-in and it is very possible that I did not try for a change of address to Brazil at that time. I have plenty of money set aside, but on a monthly basis I definitely need this to work. It looks like the question is .... Do I change my address to Brazil now, or NOT verify and do it after the 31st.

Roddie used to be in Retirement 馃暤 - @roddiesho

I don't think that you have anything to worry about.聽 Look at the wording of the press release that @bephoht posted, not at the scare headlines in the media:聽 "Over the next two weeks, SSA will carefully transition to stronger identity proofing procedures for both benefit claims and direct deposit changes."聽 You're claim was filed, approved, and put to bed before you received your first payment, and you're not changing your direct deposit arrangements, so you should not be affected.聽 聽There's nothing about current recipients being required to requalify.

Since you've moved permanently to Brazil, eventually you'll probably want to change the administration of your account to the FBU in Lisbon.聽 It's a good change -- they're a good team, and very responsive -- and it won't change your direct deposit if you don't want it to.聽 But it will change your pay date to the 3rd of the month, so in your place I'd wait rather than try to process any kind of change right now unless you have to because you don't see your next payment.

If you need to talk to someone at SSA for you own peace of mind, then certainly you should try.聽 But don't freak out if you have more trouble than usual getting through, because聽 the new bosses ARE disrupting the agency's phone system on purpose, with the stated aim of moving all account changes and inquiries to EITHER online or in-person.聽 And if you do get through, please be kind:聽 the person on the other end of the line is being terrorized by Musk's Geekstapo for the offense of trying to do his or her job, and probably isn't having a good day, today or any day.

@abthree, well it took an incredible 5 minutes of holding time to reach the SSA and boy did he have a lot to say. I let him talk first and tell me do NOT listen to ANYTHING you hear in the NewsMedia. I finally got to ask him, though by then I knew the answer.

"If I have been receiving monthly SS payments and I do NOT want to open a new claim or make any changes to my Direct Deposit, do I have to verify" ....I had to hold the phone away from my ear for the very loud...."Don`t Do Anything".

I guess he had heard it all before.

Roddie in Retirement馃暤

03/20/25 @roddiesho ROFLMAO!聽 I guess he had!聽 聽God bless him - they all deserve hazard pay for what they're going through.

..................."Don`t Do Anything".

Roddie in Retirement馃暤 - @roddiesho

Yeah but maybe something to consider (I'm going to do this ASAP) is if you have a Brazilian spouse involved in the INSS/SSA agreement of 2018 (spousal benefits).......

In early Feb. I asked FBU in Lisbon the question: " What is a valid ID required to set up an account for my wife who 1) has a SS number 2) has no other USA documents?"

Here's is how FBU replied:

"A Social Security card is a valid ID to set up her Id.me account.

Please refer to the ID.me help site ID.me Help Center if unable to bypass problems you have the option to request a video conference with a representative to resolve issues.

General enrollment instructions that we share with the public:

Until now, you needed a U.S. mailing address to access Social Security鈥檚 free my Social Security account and use their online services. Now, many people without a U.S. mailing address can create a personal my Social Security account and use the online services with an ID.me credential.聽 If you don鈥檛 already have an ID.me credential:

Go to

1. On the my Social Security page, select the 鈥淐reate an Account鈥� button and then select 鈥淪ign in with ID.me.鈥�
2. Select the 鈥淐reate an ID.me account鈥� link and follow the instructions.
3. On ID.me鈥檚 鈥淰erify Your Identity鈥� screen, select the 鈥淚 don鈥檛 live in the United States鈥� link at the bottom of the page and follow the instructions to complete the registration process.
4. Once you create your credential, you will be returned to the my Social Security webpage for next steps.

If you already have an ID.me credential, select 鈥淪ign In鈥� from the my Social Security page and then sign in to ID.me. You will be redirected to your my Social Security account.

Note: if you had a my Social Security account prior to moving overseas, you will need to create an ID.me credential to use it from an international address.

Once you have created your personal my Social Security account, you will be able to:

1. Check your earnings.
2. Get your benefit estimates.
3. Check the status of your application or appeal.
4. View, print, or save a benefit verification letter (Social Security is unable to mail to a foreign address).
5. Change Special Notice Options (SNO Notices).
6. Access some representative payee services.
7. View, print, or save a replacement SSA-1099/1042S tax statement (Social Security is unable to mail replacement statements to a foreign address).
8. Access online notices.
9. Request a replacement Medicare Card.

Some services are not available outside of the United States:

1. Changing your address.
2. Changing your direct deposit.
3. Requesting a replacement Social Security card.

Our recommendations when you are setting up a MySSA Account at Social Security (ssa.gov).

1. The green button above is the only option that allows creation of an account from outside of the U.S.聽 We are unable to assist you with any access codes as this is handled by a third-party company.
2. We advise when you sign up through ID.me to answer 鈥渘o鈥� to the questions asking if you have a prior account.

Best regards

PSC for ACP

Federal Benefits Unit

U.S. Embassy

Apartado 43033

1601-301 Lisboa

Portugal"