Social Security Card and Disability Frauds

Social security cards are the markers of identity in the U.S. It is the basic requirement when you want to buy a car, get a loan, to open a bank account, to apply for a driver's license or any of the like. In spite of the card being this important it is actually stated by the Social Security Administration that these numbers were issued so that citizens can avail of the benefits started as a part of the Social Security Program. Thus, the benefits can only be received if one proves that one is a citizen of U.S. and that can be done only by the Social Security Number (SSN). Since the social security card is the ultimate proof of identity and being a U.S. citizen, there are many financial advantages that some of the citizens enjoy, it has been a reason of crime and fraud at a large scale. It is a document proving that you are U.S. national and there are many instances that people have been victims to social security frauds. There are ways to get money, rather financial compensations from the government by showing that they are disabled or unemployed.

There are instances when the SSN has been stolen and used which is called Identity Theft. Therefore there are some rules that have been ruled out by the Social Security Administration. The SSN should not be disclosed over the phone or the Internet since there have been cases when the fraudster actually has taken the SSN, the credit card number and the password over the phone or Internet. It can be a site for online shopping or a call center, which can be a camouflage for the fraud.

Social Security Disability Fraud
Social Security Disability Insurance is provided to people who have a physical or mental condition that prevents them from gaining any benefits from any substantial work and this kind of condition is going to continue for more than a year. The person who is applying for it should be under sixty-five years of age (which is the retirement age) and must have worked for five out of the previous ten years. The concerned person has to be fully insured. The disability that he/she shows has to be in the list of disabling conditions in the Social Security Disability Insurance conditions. Medical proof has to be shown to prove their disability. Educational background, work experience and the severity of disability are checked before benefits of the insurance can be given to the person. Now the common types of fraud are as follows:

• False Claims
• Benefits enjoyed by the wrong people
• Claiming more money than the claim is worth
• Claiming for minor impairments
• Claiming when the work strength of the concerned person is over

Disability frauds have become very common in America because of which the Social Security Administration has made the laws very rigid. Still there are cases of Social Security Fraud and at times it has been seen that the officials dealing with it have been turning a blind eye to all the standards that have been set when actually approving the benefits and passing them out.

Social Security Fraud Act was meant to prevent people from taking advantage of these loopholes but then even that is not showing considerable results.

Various schemes have been prepared and started by the fraudsters to get valid SSNs and related information and citizens need to be careful about it. There have been instances when people have received e-mails purporting to be from Social Security Administration, stating that there is presumably an identity theft of that particular person and has instruction for that person to login to a website. Once common people entered that website the individual had to corroborate his genuineness by giving the SSN and the bank information. Information about the credit card was also requested along with the Pin and that was how the fraud was executed. There have been lots of warnings that have been given; ultimately it is you who will save yourself so be careful before giving out information.