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victory_tea2085

SSD fraud

victory_tea2085
10 years ago

I hope it's ok to post here- I need your advice. Man in town collects SSD, has a wife, two children. He is a master carpenter and bought a house in town for a few thousand dollars. The house was extremely run down and he went about remodeling it. The guy is a workaholic and was working 16 hrs most days. I saw him lifting heavy appliances , sawing and nailing, digging and even under his truck making repairs. He claims he has back problems and has had 2 back surgeries but there are no scars on his back. It really bothers me to see someone collecting the kind of money he gets ( his children also receive checks) when, the truth be known, he is very capable of working and supporting his family. I have no film of him undertaking these activities. Am I wasting my time turning this man in? Paul

Comments (38)

  • sushipup1
    10 years ago

    It's none of your business, IMHO. Find something else to worry yourself about.

  • victory_tea2085
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I think it's my duty as a US citizen. Too many people turn their back on government theft. The same people (if they saw someone shoplifting) would turn that person in. By defrauding SSD you are taking money from people who truly qualify for help. I certainly disagree with you!!

  • jannie
    10 years ago

    That's a tough one. When he applied for Social Security Disability, he told the government he could not perform substantial gainful work duties due to a medical problem. He gave medical sources (doctors, hospitals,etc)and may even have been examined independently by a Social Security doctor ( called a "consultative medical exam") in order to be medically approved. You say he's worked only on his own family home. not for anyone else as an employee. Yet he obviously has the ability to do lifting, climbing, carrying, stooping,etc. The good news is there is a way to "report" him. Suggest you call Social Security at 1 800 269-0271 to make a Fraud Report. Have as many facts as possible.If you wish, you may make an anonymous report. By the way, if you want one person's opinion (worth about 2 cents) YES you should report this guy.

    This post was edited by jannie on Thu, Jul 18, 13 at 8:14

  • xminion
    10 years ago

    Victory,

    I agree with you. My neighbor is the same way..although a female. She's been SSD for years...but she does heavy yard work that would floor most people.

    I asked a social worker what's up with that. He told me perhaps she has some sort of brain injury that she got SSD for. Difficult for me to believe that's the case - because she is active in local politics....even making speeches.

    One day I received a mysterious phone call..a man who stated he was inquiring about her. I called back but no answer. I told the neighbor about it. Sounded to me like some kind of PI.

    She has also been involved in some multi-level marketing crap. Tried to sucker me and the rest of the neighborhood in - most didn't take the bait.

    Today, she is REALLY in bad health...and needs help. But,
    as far as I can observe...she played the system for at least 10 years.

    Good luck and let us know...

  • RooseveltL
    10 years ago

    Report it as tHey are stealing from you and everyone paying taxes in this country.

  • victory_tea2085
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thank you fellow citizens. I don't get sushipups take on this, turn your back and "mind your own business" ? The number of people working in this country is now close to only 50%. Many of those people that are not working could be working ,but virtually anyone can get ssi or ssd with the complaint of backaches or hearing voices . There is not a Dr in the world that can tell you you don't have back pain or that you don't hear voices. We have to rely on people being honest. Ben Franklyn voted against welfare funding fearing " it would promote laziness" There is a lawyer in this county that prides himself in telling SSD seekers that he has never lost a case when he has dealt with the government concerning disability. If the majority of the people in this country are on social prgrams- who will they elect? They will elect the one proposing more social programs. The working man will actually have less than the non working- except for pride. I wrote this thread hoping that some might have experience with issues like this. I don't want to waste my time or make enemies with someone who already, apparently; has moral issues and could pose a threat to my family, Thanks- Paul

  • sushipup1
    10 years ago

    "A threat to my family"? Can you please explain?

  • victory_tea2085
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I think it's pretty much self explanatory. Just think about it! Paul

  • emma
    10 years ago

    I think they need to be reported. It is fraud and we should get involved. I once reported a man who bragged about working and living in our state and while he paid his taxes in Oklahoma which were much cheaper. There was an article about people who did that in our local newspaper and they published a hot line number, I called it.

  • mary_c_gw
    10 years ago

    So, victory tea2085, how exactly do you KNOW this man is receiving SSD payments? You don't actually say.

    Sushipup is correct - none of your business, unless you have incontrovertible proof. Do you?

  • victory_tea2085
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    yes, I know for a fact he receives SSD benefits. My wife and I believe he dreamed up the scheme while he was in prison.

    This post was edited by victory_tea2085 on Mon, Jul 8, 13 at 16:19

  • nancylouise5me
    10 years ago

    Definitely report him. He is stealing plan and simple. I too totally disagree with sushipup. It is every citizen's business to stop tax fraud, SS fraud and any other fraud that cost American people more of their hard earned money. NancyLouise

  • victory_tea2085
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I've thought a lot about sushipup's stand on this issue. No different from my buddy of 60 yrs and ,although, he fought for this country in Vietnam- he could care less about people who scam the government. I also thought that it's possible that she has some experience with SSD claims. Paul

  • sushipup1
    10 years ago

    No experience, but it does sound like you have a personal issue with the individual you've targeted.

  • victory_tea2085
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    "targeted"? Only personal issue I have is that he's a thief No different than car theft or bank robbery! I have a personal issue with dishonesty and lack of morals! Sushipup,for someone who told me to mind my own business, you seem to have a lot of interest in mine! I hope I'm not being "targeted" ! Paul.

    This post was edited by victory_tea2085 on Tue, Jul 9, 13 at 16:15

  • LuAnn_in_PA
    10 years ago

    Hope your thief gets the book thrown at him!

  • dreamgarden
    10 years ago

    "yes, I know for a fact he receives SSD benefits. My wife and I believe he dreamed up the scheme while he was in prison."

    If the guy was in prison, you might approach this with a bit of caution. Is there anyone else in the neighborhood that cares as much as you do that he is scamming the system?

    If not, think about what might happen if you report him. He gets cut off, puts two and two together, figures out that it was you who ratted him out and now he has all this time on his hands until he finds work. Its not easy for an ex con to find employment these days.

  • emma
    10 years ago

    Maybe he receives it because of a mental problem and can't function on a job???? He could still do hard physical labor. If that is the case and he has been in prison I would be very careful.

  • xminion
    10 years ago

    People have all kinds of reason for getting SSD. A mail carrier I know gets it for PTSD. On his route one day, a teenager got shot and died right in front of him.

  • victory_tea2085
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    He told me he gets it because of back problems. Tells the neighbors he has had two back surgeries- but he has no scars? I think he is just lying to make his disability more believable ,although, I'm sure SSD has all his medical records. He got a lawyer and states "it took a long time to get it, but I finally won"!

  • emma
    10 years ago

    Don't you have to have a medical check up to qualify?

  • jannie
    10 years ago

    Emma-Yes, absolutely. When you apply for Disability, you are asked exactly what medical condition(s) you have, how your activities are limited, what level of education you have, what jobs you've held. Also asked names of doctors and hospitals, medications you take,etc. The doctors are then contacted and asked to provide medical records, reports and and prognosis. The actual decision of whether someone is "disabled" is made by medical-expert State Examiners, not by Social Security employees. The disabled person is also "supposed" to report if they do any kind of work or if their medical condition improves. (Many people don't comply with this requirement) Most cases are checked regularly every 3 to 5 years to see if there are any changes. So it's likely this fellow would have a medical review in the future and might get taken off disability eventually.. But, again, there is a Social Security Fraud Department, called the Office of the Inspector General, and they definitely take all reports of this kind seriously. Their national phone number is 1 800 269 0271.If you call, they'll ask the person's name, address, age, details of what activities he's alleged to be doing. They will assign staff to investigate the situation. You can make a report anonymously. Do not record or tape him or take photos-leave that to the Feds.

    This post was edited by jannie on Fri, Jul 12, 13 at 18:55

  • jannie
    10 years ago

    Ignore this-it posted twice. My bad!

    This post was edited by jannie on Fri, Jul 12, 13 at 18:53

  • emma
    10 years ago

    There is something posted in the "get togethers" and in the "vacations" forum that needs to be reported and I tried with the FBI and then the local police department. The police emailed be back and gave me the url of an international organization. BUT both the FBI and the international org. want all of my personal information and that scares me to much to report it. You can go to that forum and read it. It is spam about getting passports through them, but when you get in there it says they sell fake passports, new ID's if you wanted a new identity. As far as I concerned that is BIG crime. I wrote the GW but it is still there.

    This post was edited by EmmaR on Fri, Jul 12, 13 at 23:24

  • dreamgarden
    10 years ago

    "The police emailed be back and gave me the url of an international organization. BUT both the FBI and the international org. want all of my personal information and that scares me to much to report it."

    I don't blame you for not wanting to give all your personal info just to report SSD fraud. I think your instincts are on target. Read why below.

    A link that might be useful:

    www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/02/john-kiriakou-edward-snowden_n_3537734.html

  • emma
    10 years ago

    I wasn't trying to report SSD fraud I was reporting a site that was advertising that they were making "fake" passports if you wanted one. Using fake passports is one of the way terrorists get into the country. There is someone advertising in GW that they make fake passports. I wish someone would read it and see if I missed something. It says:

    "Our company has years of experience producing fake passports and other identity documents. We use high quality equipment and materials to produce counterfeit passports. All secret features of real passports are carefully duplicated for our falsified documents. We are the best producer of quality fake documents."

  • sushipup1
    10 years ago

    Emma, that post is spam, and the goal is to get people to give their personal information and credit card numbers. They do not sell even fake passports or anything else, for that matter.

    When you report a post to GardenWeb, include the url of the thread and the name of the poster, including if possible the url of the "My page" link.

  • emma
    10 years ago

    Thank you I was thinking, why would anyone advertise something like that because it is a major crime. That is why I wanted someone else's take on it. I never reply to things like that but I do open them unless WOT warns me. I don't even use service people who contact me.

  • joyfulguy
    10 years ago

    Apart from their being unwilling to be complicit with helping people advertise fake passports ...

    ... doesn't spam get dumped by GW?

    ole joyful

  • sushipup1
    10 years ago

    "Apart from their being unwilling to be complicit with helping people advertise fake passports ...

    ... doesn't spam get dumped by GW?"

    Spam must be reported to GW for it to be removed. They do not audit all threads in all forums.

  • christopherh
    10 years ago

    Back to the disability.

    I was on the SocSec website a while back for my wife who is wheelchair bound. The site said 80% of all first time claims are denied. 80%.

    But disability is not just physical. You can be strong as an ox and still not be able to work, so don't confuse one with the other.

    Besides physical, there can be mental and emotional disabilities. People come back from war pretty messed up and commit crimes and go to prison. But their problem is just as serious as someone with a bad back.

    Also, people on disability can earn up to $1,000 a month in income. But that is also the maximum one can earn in the previous 12 months prior to applying.

    It's like handicapped parking spaces. You can see people who appear perfectly healthy parking there. But they may have a heart condition or arthritis that limits their walking. They're not just for wheelchairs.

    And now some cold, hard facts.

    With the economy in the toilet for the longest time since the 30s, many people who wouldn't otherwise apply for help are doing so in record numbers. They were always too proud to go on disability. Not anymore. They're broke and desperate. So along come lawyers who advertise all over the place saying they'll get your disability claim approved.

  • weedyacres
    10 years ago

    This American Life aired an eye-opening expose on the disability system back in March. Podcast linked below.

    Summary:
    The number of Americans receiving federal disability payments has nearly doubled over the last 15 years. There are towns and counties around the nation where almost 1/4 of adults are on disability. Planet Money's Chana Joffe-Walt spent 6 months exploring the disability program, and emerges with a story of the U.S. economy quite different than the one we've been hearing.

    Here is a link that might be useful: TAL story on disability system

  • xminion
    10 years ago

    Well....my SSD neighbor of 10+ years has got a part-time job! I always knew she could do it! (snark).

  • emma
    10 years ago

    My niece has a mental disability and she really needed it. Now that she is better she wants to work. I think it would be a mistake because if she works over so many hours she will lose her disability. She is always having to be evaluated and the meds changed. My experience taking meds they only work for awhile for me than rebound. So you can work with a disability.

    If it is a mental disability, maybe he doesn't want his neighbors to know and made up the back problems as an excuse.

  • jannie
    10 years ago

    I too have a niece getting SSI (Supplemental Security).. She was beaten by her father as a child, got on drugs, has many mental problems, The drugs destroyed her liver and she needed a transplant. Today she has severe rheumatoid arthritis from taking (totally legal and prescribed) steroids after her transplant. She needs to live on a first floor apartment, has terrible pain, can't climb stairs. She can't take any on-the-books-job or get married for fear of losing her SSI and her Medicaid. She babysits a little. A terrible tragic story.

  • christopherh
    10 years ago

    Xminion,

    A person on disability can earn up to $1,000 a month and it won't affect benefits.

  • xminion
    10 years ago

    Christopherh,

    Thanks for the info.

  • rnsusie
    10 years ago

    Just because you can't see scars on his back doesn't mean he didn't have back surgery. He may 1. Heal well. 2. Have had laparoscopic back surgery, in which case the scars would be very small and healed to almost invisible. My husband had his discectomy, laminectomy, fusion etc and 6 months later you could not see a scar.

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