PHILADELPHIA (KYW) – A 66-year-old grandmother from Philadelphia says Social Security is a “pain in the behind” after she was mistakenly declared dead by the agency, setting off a devasting domino effect.
Renee Williams, 66, says she recently lost access to her bank accounts, health insurance and retirement benefits after being mistakenly placed on the Social Security Administration’s “Death Master File.”
“I want people to know that Social Security is a pain in the behind,” Williams said.
The grandmother of 10 made the discovery during a medical appointment Friday.
“I went to the emergency ward on Friday, and they couldn’t get my insurance information,” Williams said. “She said she tried several places, and they said it was inactive. They said that I was deceased.”
Williams suspects the error happened following her husband’s death in August.
The seemingly simple clerical error set off a devastating domino effect for the 66-year-old. It not only stopped her monthly Social Security checks but essentially wiped her out of existence to the IRS, Medicare and her mortgage company.
“Her benefits, the banks, credit cards – it’s a lot,” Williams’ daughter, Wadeeyah McNeil, said. “It’s going to be a while before she gets all this stuff back in order. It’ll be a long while.”
The most recent federal data shows as many as 7,000 Americans wrongly wind up on the “Death Master File” each year. Officials say if this happens to you, it’s best to contact your local Social Security office right away.
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