Dear Editor:
Too many Americans are victimized by misleading advertisers who try to charge unnecessary fees for Social Security or Medicare services, Yvonne Bryant, Social Security manager in Jersey City said.
No one should be paying middlemen for Social Security services that are free. While misleading advertising schemes have been around for many years, the Internet adds a new dimension to the problem. People may go onto the Internet and use a search engine to find Social Security information. A long list of websites will usually come up, and not all of them lead back to the Social Security Administration. Some lead straight to a private firm seeking to make money on a similar sounding name.
Ms. Bryant cited the cause of a New York City certified public accountant who was arrested for operating a website that charged $11.95 for an online Social Security card application, while misleading the public into believing the site was run by the Social Security Administration. The site was shut down, and the accountant was charged with a felony for falsely representing himself as an employee of the U.S. government.
Another company offered to help people get a replacement Social Security card, for just $45.
Ms. Bryant said the Social Security Administration works hard to combat misleading advertising. “There are two federal laws that deal specifically with misleading ads. They prohibit companies from using words or symbols that suggest they have a government affiliation, and they also prohibit misleading ads from being sent through the U.S. Postal Service.”
Social Security’s Office of the Inspector General also keeps an eye out for potentially misleading advertisements. Some 60 companies have voluntarily agreed to stop using ads we questioned or have changed their ads to comply with the law.
Ms. Bryant said one way to avoid getting on ‘soundalike’ websites is to avoid using a search engine when looking for Social Security information. Just go directly to our website at www.ssa.gov. There you will find reliable and free information and services about social Security programs.
Dave Ryder
Social Security Office
Jersey City