A woman loses access to accounts and benefits after being mistakenly declared dead by Social Security

Millions of households in the US use EBT cards, which function similarly to debit cards, to purchase food through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

However, despite these advantages, there are concerns, like card cloning or hacking, which can result in financial theft. Since 2022, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has permitted states to handle claims for benefits that have been stolen. However, depending on where you live, the procedure varies.

Philadelphia resident Renee Williams, 66, experienced something she never imagined: the Social Security Administration incorrectly declared her dead. She experienced a great deal of stress and hardship as a result of this administrative error, which prevented her from accessing her bank accounts, health insurance, or retirement benefits.

A serious social security error with wide-reaching effects

It all started when Williams sought medical attention on a Friday at the emergency hospital. When she attempted to use her insurance, the hospital personnel was unable to handle her information. Williams informed KYW that although they experimented with a few different systems, they all demonstrated that I was doing nothing.

The Social Security Administration’s Death Master File, which contains a list of individuals who have been formally pronounced deceased, is where the issue begins. Her status changed to deceased as soon as her name was inadvertently submitted to this list. Numerous issues, such as her bank accounts being locked and her health insurance being frozen, began to arise as a result of this status change.

The worst part is that errors like these occur frequently. Up to 7,000 Americans are inadvertently included to the Death Master File each year, according to new data released by the federal government.

Individuals who are impacted by these errors have numerous challenges, ranging from long-term financial and emotional issues to difficulty accessing necessary services.

A possible explanation for the mistake

Williams thinks the mistake might have something to do with her husband s death in August. It s not unusual for mistakes like this to happen after the death of a spouse. Sometimes, Social Security records get family information wrong or don t link it correctly, which can lead to mistakes that have big effects.

These mistakes in administration show how important it is for government agencies to keep accurate and up-to-date records. Williams case shows that even a small mistake can have a big effect on someone s life.

What to do if this happens to you

It s important to act quickly if you ever find yourself in a situation like Renee Williams . Officials say that you should contact your local Social Security office right away to fix the problem. Here is a list of the steps you need to take:

• Gather necessary documentation
• Collect documents that prove you are alive, such as a government-issued ID, your birth certificate, or any other valid document confirming your identity.
• Contact Social Security directly
• Visit a local Social Security office in person to explain the issue. If you re unable to go in person, call Social Security s customer service line at 800-772-1213 to begin the correction process.
• Request a correction certificate
• Ask Social Security to provide an official letter stating that the mistake has been corrected. This document will be critical in reactivating your bank accounts, insurance, and other services impacted by the error.

Notify other institutions

Once Social Security has fixed the error, let your bank, insurance company, and any other places that were affected know. Make sure everything is back to normal by giving them the letter from Social Security that says they are wrong.

The far-reaching impact of these errors

Being wrongly declared dead isn t just a bothersome bureaucratic process; it can also have serious emotional and financial effects. Williams lost important things, like her health insurance, because of the mistake, just as she needed medical help right away.

These mistakes can also cause more problems, like bank accounts being closed, service contracts being canceled, and public benefits being stopped. Usually, fixing these problems takes a lot of time and work, which can be too much for the people who are affected.

A recurring issue impacting thousands

What Renee Williams went through is not unusual. Thousands of Americans have the same problems every year because of mistakes in the Social Security system. Even though people are still trying to make these mistakes less common, the data shows that the problem still exists.

People who have been affected by these kinds of mistakes need to get the help they need as soon as possible. But the Social Security Administration needs to keep improving its methods to make sure that records are correct and that mistakes like this don t happen again.

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