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In reply to the discussion: A Secret Plan to Close Social Security's Offices and Outsource Its Work [View all]Glitterati
(3,182 posts)I've gotten my Social Security benefits on their privatized debit card for years. So many years, in fact, that my first card expired in February. Please understand that this card is the ONLY access to your funds.
In January, I hadn't received a new card to replace the expiring one, so I called. Of course, it took a real search effort to FIND a number to this private company, and it's not an 800 number, of course. You can go to their website, but you can't email them, and you'll have to search high and low for a phone number.
But, call them I did. And, the automated machine said Hello, and then said, "we are experiencing an unusually high volume of calls. Call back later." and simply hung up! For four days. I called at all hours of the day and night, staying up or getting up at 3:00AM, 4:00AM, Midnight, etc.
So, in desperation I called my local SSA office to ask for help reaching them. The response? Sorry, ma'am, we have no control over them, you'll just have to keep trying.
It took me 3 weeks to find out they had sent my replacement card to an old address. Why? Because there's no way to change your address on their website! I had mail forwarding on my address for a year, but it had expired when they finally tried to send my replacement card. I changed my address immediately with SSA, but no one bothered to tell the "private company" I did so, and there was no ability to do that myself.
My deposits now go to my private bank account, where customer service actually ANSWERS the phone.