A woman has faced endless problems since the Social Security Administration declared her dead two years ago — and the accident is more common than you think.
The government incorrectly classifies thousands of Americans as dead every year, according to federal data.
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The error could prevent taxpayers from accessing their bank accounts and retirement benefits.
It can also prevent people from getting jobs or loans.
In 2022, Brooklyn resident Sandra Hazel was shocked to learn that she was listed on the Social Security Administration's (SSA) death master file.
The agency revealed the news to her while she was trying to prepare her retirement benefits.
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“We recently discovered that our records incorrectly showed that you were deceased,” DHS wrote in a letter to Hazel.
“How can you say I'm dead when I'm alive?” Hazel said, according to WCBS-TV.
A small mistake turned into problems that would be repeated for two years.
Last August, the Internal Revenue Service told Hazel that her tax return could not be processed because her Social Security number “belonged to a deceased person.”
“And I don't get any benefits from Social Security, nothing,” Hazel said.
“I have rent to pay. I have bills to pay.”
Hazel was unable to enroll in Medicaid due to the error.
According to the most recent Social Security Administration data for 2019, as many as 7,000 Americans ended up in the DMF by accident.
However, the number of incidents has decreased by 45% since 2011 due to the rise in electronic records.
In a clerical error similar to Hazel's, one woman reported losing access to her money after her death was announced.
How to contact the SSA
If you suspect that the Social Security Administration has declared you dead, it is important to contact the Social Security Administration as soon as possible.
You can contact the SSA by:
- Call 1-800-772-1213
- Visit your local SSA office
- Send an email to the SSA support team
- Write a letter to the following address:
Social Security Administration
General Inquiries and Communications Support Office
1100 West High
6401 Security Blvd.
Baltimore, MD 21235
More information can be found on the agency's website.
Renee Williams, 66, told CBS affiliate KYW-TV in Philadelphia that the incident was a “pain in the back.”
She made the horrifying discovery that she was presumed dead during her doctor's appointment.
“I went to the emergency department on Friday, and they couldn't get my insurance information,” Williams told the outlet.
“She said she tried a few places and they said it was inactive. They said I was dead.”
The mistake had devastating consequences for Williams, who reported her monthly Social Security checks had disappeared.
“The interest, the banks, the credit cards, it's a lot,” said Wadi'a McNeil, Williams' daughter.
“It's going to take a while before you get all of these things back in order. It's going to take a long time.”
The US Sun has reached out to the SSA for comment.
