Woman learns she’s been declared dead while trying to claim Social Security – small mistake led to 2-year nightmare
A WOMAN has faced endless problems since the Social Security Administration declared her dead two years ago - and the accident is more common than you'd think.
The government wrongly marks thousands of Americans as dead each year, according to federal data.
The mistake can prohibit taxpayers from accessing their bank accounts and retirement benefits.
It can also prevent people from getting jobs or loans.
In 2022, Brooklyn resident Sandra Hazel was shocked to learn she was listed on the SSA's Death Master File.
The agency revealed the news to her while she was trying to set up her retirement benefits.
"We recently discovered that our records wrongly showed you as deceased," the SSA wrote in a letter to Hazel.
"How can you say that I'm deceased when I'm alive?" Hazel said, according to
The small mistake turned into issues recurring for two years.
Last August, the Internal Revenue Service told Hazel her tax return couldn't be processed because her social security number "belongs to someone deceased."
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"And I'm not getting no benefits from social security, none," Hazel said.
"I have rent to pay. I have bills to pay.";
Hazel has been unable to register for Medicaid because of the mistake.
According to the SSA's from 2019, up to 7,000 Americans end up on the DMF by accident.
However, the number of incidents has reportedly dropped by 45% since 2011 due to the rise of electronic records.
In a similar clerical error to Hazel's, one woman reported losing access to her money after she was declared dead.
How to contact the SSA
If you suspect you've been declared dead by the Social Security Administration, it's important to contact the SSA as soon as possible.
You can contact the SSA by:
- Calling 1-800-772-1213
- Visiting your local SSA office
- Emailing the SSA support team
- Writing a letter to the following address:
Social Security Administration
Office of Public Inquiries and Communications Support
1100 West High Rise
6401 Security Blvd.
Baltimore, MD 21235
More information can be found on the agency's .
Renee Williams, 66, told Philadelphia's CBS affiliate that the incident has been a "pain in the behind."
She made the terrifying discovery that she had been deemed deceased while at a doctor's appointment.
"I went to the emergency ward on Friday, and they couldn't get my insurance information," Williams told the outlet.
"She said she tried several places and they said it was inactive. They said that I was deceased."
The mistake led to devastating consequences for Williams as she reported her monthly Social Security checks have disappeared.
"Her benefits, the banks, credit cards, it's a lot," Williams' daughter, Wadeeyah McNeil, said.
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"It's going to be a while before she gets all this stuff back in order. It'll be a long while."
The U.S. Sun has reached out to the SSA for comment.