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Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefit payments will continue to be paid on time during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Social Security Administration made this announcement as agency officials are warning of scammers who try to take advantage of the pandemic to trick people into providing personal information or payment via retail gift cards, wire transfers, internet currency, or by mailing cash, to maintain Social Security benefit payments or receive economic impact payments from the Department of the Treasury.
"Social Security will pay monthly benefits on time and these payments will not be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic," Commissioner of Social Security Andrew Saul said in a news release. "I want our beneficiaries to be aware that scammers may try to trick you into thinking the pandemic is stopping or somehow changing your Social Security payments, but that is not true. Don't be fooled."
Saul said the Department of the Treasury will soon provide information about economic impact payments under the recently enacted law, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act. Treasury, not Social Security, will make direct payments to eligible people.
The agency continues to direct the public to its online self-service options whenever possible. Local offices, including the Jefferson City office on Scott Station Road, are closed to the public but are available by phone. The Jefferson City office phone number is 877-405-9803.
The agency is temporarily changing the hours of service for the National 800 Number (1-800-772-1213) to 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
For information, visit the agency's COVID-19 web page, socialsecurity.gov/coronavirus/.