August DeClemente wanted to make a simple adjustment to his Social Security account. In the old days, all the Allentown man had to do was go to the office on North Fourth Street, get in line and make the change with an employee.
Recently, though, he found that switching an account number for his direct deposit required making an appointment two weeks in advance. While that sounds easy enough, reserving that time slot was not.
Online, that required going through his my Social Security account. But that brought a whole set of other problems, especially since the Social Security Administration has instituted multifactor authentication, a security process that requires at least two verification methods to grant access to the system.
DeClemente said he had to take a photo with his mobile phone, but sending from the device is a potential pitfall in that the phone being used has to have the phone number on record. Being registered with a landline puts up a brick wall.
“I always think that I’m a dinosaur, and I’m the only one who’s like this,” DeClemente said, adding statistics he found from Pew Research from 2012. “But if you just look at the figures when they first instituted my Social Security accounts in 2012, only about 15% of people had smartphones. More significantly, only about 10% of people were using cellphones only.”
A 2024 survey from Pew found that number of 65-plus people is up to 79%, but DeClemente is concerned that many still have the landline as a the contact number with the SSA.
An alternative is to print an email and go to the post office with a photo ID, but not everyone has a printer.
The disconnect between the cellphone requirements and landline users is one that should have been expected, said DeClemente, who was able to resolve his problem with help from U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie’s office.
“I’m more concerned from the standpoint of Social Security recipients who are going to be stuck with this problem when they try to get into their my Social Security accounts,” said Clemente, who noted that he’s within walking distance of both the Social Security and Mackenzie’s offices in Allentown. However, he is concerned about recipients who live in rural areas and may not have such access.
The AARP said it has been dealing with “skyrocketing” complaints about the SSA’s customer service. The troubles started in February when the Social Security Administration announced that it would restructure its operations, including reducing its workforce by 12% — about 50,000 workers — and closing six regional offices.
“The customer service crisis at Social Security has been building for years. As the population ages, demand is going up — but funding from Congress hasn’t kept pace, and now we’re seeing even more staffing cuts without a clear plan to improve service,” said Bill Sweeney, AARP’s senior vice president for government affairs.
According to AARP, about 69 million Americans receive Social Security benefits, and 183 million workers pay into the program. It administers about $130 billion in monthly payments.
In July, the SSA said it has made improvements to its customer service, including improving telephone technology to about 70% of its field offices, reducing waiting times on its 800 number, using automatic callbacks for those who can’t wait on hold and upgrading the website.
“My top priority is to transform SSA into a model of excellence — an organization that operates at peak efficiency and delivers outstanding service to every American,” said Commissioner Frank Bisignano, who was confirmed in May. “The American people have waited long enough for better service, and they deserve the absolute best from their government. I am deeply grateful to our dedicated employees who are already making this turnaround a reality.”
Mackenzie, R-7th District, said seniors in the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos deserve to have convenient and reliable access to their Social Security accounts.
“Recent efforts by the Social Security Administration to reduce fraud and improve security have sometimes created headaches for those trying to set up online profiles or make changes to their account information. This is especially true for those who don’t have smartphones,” Mackenzie said in a statement to The Morning Call.
“My team and I are committed to helping local seniors navigate and address this problem however we can, both in terms of assistance and advocacy. This week, I sent a letter to the commissioner of the SSA requesting information on how they are working to alleviate technical hurdles for seniors trying to navigate the online portal. My staff is also working daily to assist seniors who are struggling to access the portal.”
Mackenzie said those requiring immediate assistance can contact his office online at Mackenzie.House.Gov or by phone at 484-781-6000.
There will also be an online webinar with the Social Security Administration at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday that will focus on how to use the online portal, including setting up an account, updating banking information and requesting a new Social Security card. Those interested can sign up online at Mackenzie.House.Gov/Webinars or call the office.
Morning Call reporter Evan Jones can be reached at ejones@mcall.com.
