From
a television station in Arizona which hides its call letters:
The whole situation didn't seem plausible. A 7-year old's financial life entangled with a complete stranger's.
She
is now 14 years old. The Peoria girl's Social Security number was used
fraudulently and repeatedly since she was a second grader and as
recently as last year. She had businesses and bank accounts connected to
her. Debt collectors were calling her house.
But, the Social
Security Administration would not issue the girl a new number. Not after
begging from her mom, not with detectives and attorneys pleading her
case, not even after Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake got involved,
sending letters to SSA on the child's behalf. For 7 years, denial after
denial. Then her story aired on ABC15.
"48 hours later, I get a phone call from Social Security and they offered us a new number," said the girl's mother, Jill Carlon. ...
It sounds easy now, but Carlon will tell you it has been anything but.
Over the past 7 years, Carlon said Social Security recommended she press
charges against the fraudster, local charity founder Jacqueline Harris,
if she wanted to obtain a new number for her daughter. Harris was then
convicted of one felony count of possession of a forgery device. Then
Carlon said the goal post moved. If she wanted a new number, Social
Security said she would have to change her daughter's name. She did that
too. But it still wasn't enough to get a new number. ...
2 comments:
Perhaps it was the local TV station, or maybe it was the May 17 hearing where multiple Members (Rs) pushed Berryhill on this issue: https://waysandmeans.house.gov/event/hearing-on-securing-americans-identities-the-future-of-the-social-security-number/
Rules are pretty darn strict for changing numbers for kids.
Post a Comment