The Social Security Administration (SSA) is revising its planned requirements for callers to pass identity checks when making certain transactions over the phone. The original plan, which aimed to prevent fraud, was met with criticism from experts and agency employees who expressed concerns about how it would affect vulnerable populations.
Under the revised plan, calling the SSA’s National 800 Number will no longer require callers to log in online to receive a one-time PIN to verify their identity. Instead, existing processes for verifying identity will remain on the phone line, making it entirely optional for callers to use the enhanced Security Authentication PIN (SAP) feature.
The agency had initially estimated that the policy would result in over three million field office visits, but the revised plan suggests that this number may be significantly reduced. Beneficiaries and SSA accountholders will not be required to visit a field office if they choose not to use the SAP feature.
This move comes as a surprise to some who were previously told about the changes, highlighting the agency’s willingness to re-evaluate its plans in response to feedback and criticism. The revised plan is expected to address concerns about fraud risks while preserving the existing processes for verifying identity on the phone line.
Source: https://www.nextgov.com/digital-government/2025/07/ssa-make-planned-id-checks-additional-phone-transactions-entirely-optional/407114