People of all ages may need to contact the Social Security Administration (SSA). Suppose a young person can't find their original Social Security card when applying for their first job. In that case, they must contact the SSA for a replacement. A person who can no longer work due to a disability can apply for benefits through the SSA.
The Social Security Administration helps retiring people complete paperwork for their benefits. Widowed persons and children of deceased or disabled adults can also apply for benefits. I called the SSA to ask if I am currently getting Social Security benefits and working part-time, "Will the money I still pay into Social Security increase my monthly benefit?"
Included in the greeting by the automated response system was a message that said if this was an emergency, call 911. The systems said someone can answer calls from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. It also went through a menu of selections a caller could press to get help, including someone calling about a Social Security issue.
The automated system said people could call SSA to report Medicare or Medicaid fraud, social security fraud, identity theft and get help with applying for benefits. It also said the website Social Security.gov has information regarding programs and benefits.
The system told me I could call 800-772-1213 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. to speak with a representative. The automated system offered the option of listening to the message again or hanging up. After hanging up I called the number to speak to a representative, but I got more of the same.
An automated voice response system began by thanking me for calling and informing me that they may record the call. It provided the following announcements: The cost-of-living adjustment would start in 2024, and the Medicare Part B premium would increase. It also warned callers to be aware of people impersonating the SSA and to report those incidents to the agency.
The system suggested help topics and asked, "What sounds closest to what you need help with? None of the system's recommendations could get me the information I needed.
When the system finally said it would connect me to a representative, I listened to a message saying my expected wait time was 42 minutes. Not having time minutes to wait that long, I gave up on getting help and decided to try another day.
The experience of calling the Social Security Administration did not surprise me. It is a large government agency serving millions of people every day. However, every state has local Social Security offices, so I cannot understand why the system does not encourage individuals to call those offices for help.
Speaking to a human is preferable to pressing numbers that don't lead to the information a caller needs. An automated assistant cannot listen actively and ask specific questions that enable a consumer to get help.
This Social Security phone number is ranked #2 out of 3 because 212,472 Social Security customers tried our tools and information and gave us feedback after they called. The reason customers call 800-269-0271 is to reach the Social Security Fraud Detection department for problems like Report Fraud, Missing Payment, Question About Benefits, Update Account Info, Can't Login. As far as we can tell, Social Security has call center locations in Illinois or Massachusetts or New Mexico and you can call during their open hours Mon-Fri 7am-7pm EST. Social Security has 3 phone numbers and 4 different ways to get customer help. We've compiled information about 800-269-0271 and ways to call or contact Social Security with help from customers like yourself. Please help us continue to grow and improve this information and these tools by sharing with people you know who might find it useful.
Calling Social Security at this number should be pretty straightforward. Also important is what you do once you call, or what your other phone number options are. Unfortunately, our call-you-back tool is not available for 800-269-0271. For companies that we support, we call for you, press the right buttons to get through the phone menus, wait on hold, and call you back when Social Security Fraud Detection agents can talk. It's not available here, but keep an eye out for it when future customer service issues arise with companies other than Social Security Once on the phone with Social Security's Fraud Detection department, you may need to provide them with information that identifies you as a customer, like your full name (or name on the account), email address, phone number, or an account number. It's usually worthwhile to gather this information before you call.
While 800-269-0271 is Social Security's #2 most popular phone number, it's not the only way to get a hold of their customer care team. You already know from reading above that 800-772-1213 is their best customer phone number overall, and we have put together a comparison of their 4 total ways to contact support for you to look at as well. One thing to keep in mind as you try to reach Social Security help by calling them, is that other customers give their customer support at this number a 48% score for their communication skills and a 65% score for the overall help they received. That could be indicative of their abilities to help you resolve your problem overall, regardless of whether or not you call this number.