My question: He mentions doing a Direct Deposit Fraud Protection Block, which means nobody, including me, can enroll in or change info for direct deposit.
I’m not sure I understand this — what if I need to change my bank, etc.?
Has anyone here done this, or have a better understanding of this?
Thanks!
Hi! Sorry for the confusion. Once you verify your identity with the IRS, you can make changes to your account. We’ve removed that misunderstanding from the article. Also, we are publishing a step-by-step guide on how to lock your Social Security number with E-Verify this week. It should be very helpful in helping your navigate the lock and answer any further questions. Please look out for it.
After reading the National Public Data Breach post on 9/12 my mother was going to block her Social Security number. The following question came up but we wondered if you or others can answer her questions:
The person she talked to at SSA told her that all electronic access will be blocked including her SS internet account. Therefore if her account is paperless and she is receiving email then she first has to change back to paper mail in order to receive COLA and Social Security Statements. after she puts on the block. Question: Is this true?
She was also told she WOULD be able to call SSA, AFTER the block, and change her checking account number (as she is thinking of changing banks) and other information via phone. However it clearly states on the SSA site:
“Once requested, any automated telephone and electronic access to your Social Security record is blocked. No one, including you, will be able to see or change your personal information on the Internet or through our automated telephone service.
What do they mean by automated phone? Perhaps if you talk with an agent it is a different thing?
If my mother gets through to an agent via the SSA phone number will she be able to make changes in the future without having to go to the local SSA Office to unblock?
It seems to me she best change her checking account number prior to blocking. Are there other things a consumer wanting to block SS access needs to know before initiating the block?
Great questions! Yes, once your mom calls and verifies her identity, she will be able to make changes like checking account updates to her account. “Automated telephone” means the automated prompts on the phone when you call and they ask you to press 1 for this and 2 for that. Usually those automated systems are programed to give you balances and account updates. If she blocks her account, she will not have access to the automated information. She would have to speak to an agent to verify her identity before they release any information.
We will have to do some more digging about the emails. Our first instinct is that her emailed statements should continue if the statements are embedded in the email or sent as an attachment. However, if the email directs her to the SSA site to login to view the statements, then it would make sense that she would no longer receive the paperless emails.
We are publishing a step-by-step guide on how to lock your Social Security number with E-Verify this week. We will discuss possibly adding answers to some of these questions as FAQs. Please look out for it.
If your Social Security number is locked with E-Verify and if you already have an online account with Social Security, you will still be able to access your SSA account online; nothing changes. However, I don’t know about setting up a new online SSA account.
I would suggest that your mom first set up online access to her SS account, which will prevent someone else from doing so to take it over. Then lock the SSN with E-Verify. She’ll be good to go.
Thank you TeamClarkAdmin, just some clarification regarding Mom’s paperless settings.
She has paperless settings currently in place, all she receives via email is a notification that her COLA and SS Statements are available. She has to sign in to her already established SS account in order to retrieve them.
Mom would like to be able to continue electronic access to these documents via her SS account rather than going back to standard mail as she feels it is more secure.
@hvAGr8tm89273 I want to clarify my previous post. I am/was in the same situation: I have a long established electronic SSA account at ssa.gov. When you go to the login page, you have three options:
I use the third option when I sign in. I have since locked my SSN at E-Verify and my ability to access my SSA account online has not been affected.
I am also still able to sign in using the 2nd option (ID.me). I don’t have a LOGIN.GOV account set up, so I’ve not tested that option.
Bottom line: locking your SSN at E-Verify will not affect your ability to access your previously established online SSA account.
I tried to create an E-Verify account. During the process, I received a message indicating the site was not able to create a quiz. I could go no further in the process. In the explanations pertaining to the message, one item indicated a credit freeze was a possible reason. Can a credit freeze prevent completing the process for creating an E-Verify account?
@Rick, Thank you for the clarification. It is good to know that when you locked your SSN at E-Verify you still had the ability to access your SSA account online.
I am hoping my Mom can also get clarification as to whether or not she needs to change her paperless settings in her SS online Account to regular snail mail prior to establishing a “Block Electronic Access” to her SS number. Otherwise she may inadvertently not have access to her annual SS statement and COLA statement. And, the block to my understanding does prevent anyone, including the consumer, from accessing their social security record electronically.
The other aspect of this is that paperless is often considered more secure than snail mail.
I was and am on paperless with SSA and nothing has changed since locking my SSN on E-Verify. I just retrieved my electronic SS statement a couple days ago after receiving the emailed notice that it was available.
@Rick - yes thanks! Setting up Block Electronic Access is not the same thing as locking one’s SSN on E-Verify. They are two different processes. Mom will be locking down her SSN on E-Verify and your info has been very helpful for that. We will be calling SSA again (together) to determine whether or not she needs to change her paperless settings in her SS online Account to regular snail mail prior to establishing a “Block Electronic Access” to her SS number. Otherwise she may inadvertently not have access to her annual SS statement and COLA statement. And, the block to my understanding does prevent anyone, including the consumer, from accessing their social security record electronically. That means once the block is in place she will not be able to access her online SS account. At least that is what the SS agent advised when Mom called her.
I’m not sure why she’d want to block her electronic access to her online SSA account. If it’s set up with a strong password and 2FA, it would be very protective of her info.
Mom and I were able to contact SSA via phone this afternoon. Please verify this info for yourself - do not assume we got the correct info.
The representative verified, for Mom, the following:
Directly after a person puts on a "Block Electronic Access” on their SS number -they will have NO ACCESS to their SS Online Account and, of course, no one else will either. You can get access back by going into your local SSA office and show proof of identity.
When a person sets up an SS Online Account they have a choice as to how they receive mail - either they choose
a) Send a paper copy and an online copy, or …
b) Do not send a paper copy.
Therefore before blocking electronic access on your SS number, be sure to know what setting you have and if it is Do Not Send A Paper Copy, then there is some mail you may NOT receive (ex: Earning Statements, COLA Statements). Mom says she gets 1099’s via mail even though she has “Do not send a paper copy” selected.
I would consider carefully if it is necessary to Block Electronic Access as it may affect your ability to get into your online SS account and to get your mail. NOTE if Mom goes forward with it, I’m suggesting she verify what mail setting she has in her SS online account first and be sure she selects: “Send a paper copy and an online copy” prior to blocking electronic access. (And maybe test it out to be sure she is getting the mail the way she wants it.)
The other issue for Mom is, is it more secure to have Block Electronic Access initiated or to be paperless with her SS account.
