this week Attorney General Matt Platkin joined a coalition of 20 other states supporting a lawsuit to block potential cuts to the Social Security Administration citing steps taken by the Trump administration to slash staffing there and the confusion the overall has caused for people who get Social Security benefits it comes as more changes went into effect this week at the agency aimed at targeting fraud that happens primarily over the phone that's causing concern for many seniors who say getting through to an agent was hard even before the changes senior correspondent Joanna Gagas has more on what you need to know i need information about uh the Social Security benefits like Our Diaz if you're about to collect Social Security benefits for the first time or need to make changes to your direct deposit of Social Security benefits there are some changes to the system that you need to know let's start with those already receiving benefits who need to make a change for direct deposit where you once could do it uh either in person on the phone or uh through my SSA now it is only through my SSA or in person that phone option which was the most popular option is now gone that's one of a number of changes the Trump administration has implemented to the Social Security Administration or SSA that took effect yesterday angela DJ Geronimo is a claim specialist who's also a union leader representing SSA workers she explains that the phone option is still there for those collecting Social Security benefits for the first time if we're taking it on the phone if we're taking that interview and processing that claim on the phone it's going to now have a 3-day hold scan for potential fraud and if it comes up as potential fraud we are alerted as uh claim specialists that there is a potential problem and we would notify the uh member of the public who is applying for benefits that they need to come in with ID according to the SSA website there is now enhanced technology to identify suspicious activity in telephone claims by analyzing patterns and anomalies in a person's account acting Commissioner of Social Security Leland Dudak said in a statement "It's part of a modernization of how they serve the public enhancing both security and accessibility with a commitment to customer service program integrity and responsible stewardship of taxpayer resources."

And while staff have now returned to full-time in-person operations a 50% staff cut in the office of the chief investment officer or OCO could be coming they don't answer the phone the phone rings and rings and rings and rings for social security and it's very difficult to get through to them those staff cuts are not good news for residents already frustrated by long wait times unanswered calls and what can sometimes feel like a bureaucratic process i sat here for over like an hour to wait cuz I filled out application online to get my social security card so I went there i waited for about an hour just to get to the window for the lady to tell me very sarcastically um we can't help you why cuz she said that I have to make an appointment i have to make an appointment just to see if my application was accepted online three Democratic US senators wrote to acting commissioner Dudek this weekend expressing concern that any further staff cuts could disrupt benefits citing recent website crashes and erroneous messages sent to beneficiaries that they were not receiving payments the administration is standing behind its new procedures and says staff will be rearranged to the front lines of service here in New Jersey staff have been boosted to help answer questions about the new process they have a lot of questions and they are very confused do I need to come in because I'm filing for benefits and I want it to go direct deposit so do I need to show ID should I come in before my appointment or should I wait for the appointment according to the SSA website less than 1% of claims are improper payments most of them are overp payments and given that stat D geronimo doesn't expect the new system to uncover rampant fraud and to put customers minds at ease she says if you are being truthful you're saying who you are and you're identifying yourself there should be no problem i don't anticipate any but all are watching to see whether this new process will catch any additional fraud that could be slipping through the cracks in Union i'm Joanna Gagas NJ Spotlight News [Music]