- Failing to report income from a job
- Example: A person on SSI gets a part-time job but doesn’t report their earnings to SSA to avoid benefit reduction.
- Lying about a disability or medical condition
- Example: Someone claims they cannot work due to a back injury but is later found running a landscaping business.
- Using someone else’s Social Security number
- Example: A caregiver uses a client’s SSN to apply for benefits or credit in their name.
- Not reporting that you got married
- Example: A person on SSI doesn’t report getting married, even though their spouse’s income could affect their eligibility.
- Continuing to cash benefit checks after someone dies
- Example: A family member does not report a relative’s death and continues using their checks.
- Misusing someone’s benefits as a representative payee
- Example: A payee spends a beneficiary’s money on themselves instead of rent, food, and care.
- Hiding assets that affect eligibility
- Example: A person transfers money into someone else’s account to stay under the SSI asset limit.
- Not reporting a change in living arrangements
- Example: A person moves in with a relative who pays their expenses but doesn’t report this support to SSA.
- Claiming to be disabled while working under a different name
- Example: A person receives SSDI while secretly working a full-time job under another identity.
- Falsifying medical records to get approved
- Example: A person forges a doctor’s note or alters documentation to qualify for benefits.