Show:
mySSA
Fraud Potential
Applications
Miscellaneous
100
Fact or Fiction: You must be receiving benefits to open a MySSA account.
Fiction: The requirements to sign up for MySSA is: o Have a valid E-mail address, o Have a Social Security number o Have a U.S. mailing address o Be at least 18 years of age
100
Fact or Fiction: Claimants can access mySSA even if there is a credit freeze or fraud alert on their Experian credit report.
Fiction: You cannot create a mySSA account online if you have a security freeze, fraud alert, or both on your Experian credit report. You first must ask Experian to remove the freeze or alert.
100
Fact or Fiction: Only Social Security beneficiaries can get their benefit verification letter online.
Fiction: Both Social Security and SSI beneficiaries can benefit from this online service.
100
Fact or Fiction: Representative Payees may file their annual accounting forms online.
Fact: It only takes approximately 15 minutes for an individual to complete their accounting form online. Once the individual sets-up an account, they can reuse the same user ID and password year-after year.
200
Fact or Fiction: You must create a mySSA account in order to request a replacement Medicare card.
Fiction: You can request a replacement Medicare card without establishing a mySSA account. You can also request a replacement 1099 form or change the method in which you receive information if you are blind or visually impaired, all without having a mySSA account.
200
Fact or Fiction: When establishing a mySSA account, your information is verified against SSA’s records and Experian verifies your information against its records.
Fact: SSA uses the external authentication service provided, Experian, to help verify your identity.
200
Fact or Fiction: SSI applicants cannot file their application for benefits online.
Fact: Although the application for benefits cannot be completed online, if the individual is filing for SSI based on being disabled, he or she can complete the online disability report and then contact the local office for an appointment to complete his or her claim for benefits.
200
Fact or Fiction: You must contact a field office to obtain a replacement SSA-1099 tax form.
Fiction: You can request an SSA-1099 online at our website for yourself or on behalf of a deceased beneficiary if you are receiving benefits on the same record as the deceased.
300
Fact or Fiction: You do not need a mySSA account to request a benefit verification letter.
Fiction: You must have a mySSA account to request a benefit verification letter. Using your mySSA account, you will be able to print the benefit verification letter immediately.
300
Fact or Fiction: Since your information is verified using Experian, your credit rating could be affected.
Fiction: Experian may use information from your credit report to help verify your identity, this may result in what is known as a “soft inquiry” on your Experian credit report. Soft inquiries do not affect your credit score.
300
Fact or Fiction: After an application is started, the individual must complete the application process in one-sitting.
Fiction: Individuals can stop in a middle of an online application and return later to complete the process.
300
Fact or Fiction: You can report the death of a family member online.
Fiction: Under the Survivors section on our website, there is a link called “Report a Death” however it just leads you to a fact sheet which directs the individual to contact Social Security. Death reports cannot be done online.
400
Fact or Fiction: You need a mySSA account to start or change direct deposit information online.
Fact. You must have an account to make this type of change. Please note that SSI recipients cannot start or change direct deposit information online at this time however they can still check the current method of payment using their mySSA account.
400
Fact or Fiction: If you are unable or unwilling to create an online account, you can block electronic access to your personal information with us.
Fact: If you decide that you will not be utilizing our online services, you can request a block on your account, which will prevent anyone else from creating an account on your behalf. To block electronic access, you can visit our website, call SSA, or visit your local office.
400
Fact or Fiction: Even if an adult completes his or her disability application online, the individual must still sign and mail in the medical release form SSA-827.
Fiction: An adult first-party applicant can submit the medical release form electronically during his or her application process.
400
Fact or Fiction: Online services are available 24 hour a day and 7 days per week.
Fiction: Our website is available anytime however the online services are only available most of the time. Online Services are available weekdays 5am-1am, Saturday 5am-11pm, and Sunday 8am-11:30pm (All listed in Eastern Time zone.)
500
Fact or Fiction: Every year working individuals are mailed a copy of their earnings record.
Fiction: SSA no longer mails the earnings records to the public however you can create a mySSA account to view your earnings record immediately online.
500
Fact or Fiction: After you place a block on your electronic access, you can visit a local Social Security office to have it removed.
Fact: You can remove an electronic access block by visiting your local office with your current identification.
500
Fact or Fiction: Survivor’s benefits cannot be applied for online.
Fact: The individual must contact Social Security to schedule an appointment or visit his/her local office to file for survivors benefits.
500
Fact or Fiction: If an individual calls the field office to request a tax withholding form, our only option is to mail him or her the form.
Fiction: Our eservices committee introduced the eservices bucket earlier this year, which features email templates. There are many links that employees can email directly to the claimant, rather than sending forms in the mail. Also the employee can direct the caller to our website if he or she does not want to provide their email address.