The Private Eye

A tale of Social Security fraud

In a time of economic and financial uncertainty too many of our Seniors and those on disability have been taken advantage of by our very own government. When Sandy Homes found out her direct express debit card issued from Social Security through their own choice of bank Comerica fraudulently took out over $1000 leaving her with a negative balance not only did she feel violated but now having to pay an overdraft charge of an additional fee of $56. Upon calling the service rep from Direct Express they said that she took the money out her self and therefore had the overdraft charge added to her account.

 

The Case of Sandy Homes is not an isolated incident either for all across the United States there are over 4 million customers who have trusted Social Security's Direct Express debit cards. Upon further investigation when Sandy went to a leading financial institution to change here Social Security direct deposit from Direct Express into this new account she found out that if she had gone to an ATM to withdraw any amount of money after her latest Social Security deposit was made the money wouldn't have been made available and instead another over draft charge would be again applied. Direct Express indicates that Sandy had already got whatever amount of money she asked for from the ATM. Thankfully, Sandy had gone to the one financial institution where she had already had a small savings account and now switched her Social Security Deposit from Direct Express into this new account.

 

This is where it is where it really gets interesting and even criminal. Upon going to the local Social Security office to drop off the change of account for transferring from Direct Express into this new account and asked for a complaint form from Social Security to log a complaint against Direct Express and Comerica Bank Sandy was told they don't have any forms and was quietly asked to refrain from mentioning Direct Express. But, according to the Social Security Fraud hotline anyone can go directly to the Social Security office and report that their account was fraudulently hacked into. A direct contradiction when Sandy went to her local Social Security office.

 

What appears to be occurring is that Social Security is complicit with Direct Express and Comerica Bank in dipping into peoples accounts. A grand scale fraud committed by Social Security through enticing people to forgo a traditional bank in lieu of having their money a little sooner using Comerica's Direct Deposit through their Direct Express debit cards. It is these Direct Express debit cards issued through Comerica Bank that have been garnishing untold amounts that could very well reach into the billions of dollars and rerouting that money back to the government instead of where they ought to go, the people who depend on their Social Security.

 

For Sandy Homes may now just be the Erin Brockovich of Social Security in discovering a grand scale fraud perpetrated by our very own government to reroute peoples Social Security and SSI benefits back into the government. If you have a Direct Express debit card from Social Security be forewarned sooner or latter your account will fall victim to this type of fraud by our very own agency that is supposed to be that safety net so many of our seniors and people on disability depend.