SSI Fraud
My son, who has been missing and presumed drowned in the Colorado River since July 1994, had been receiving SSI payments for many years. By accident, I discovered that the checks are still being sent to his post office box in Needles. A call to the family that shares the post office box determined that the checks indeed were still arriving and were being cashed and spent. Their justification was that they had power of attorney and felt that they had the money coming to them.
They didn’t feel that they were stealing from my son since it was, after all, “free money” from the government. So far, that windfall has cost us taxpayers over $11,000! I doubt if the state or feds got their share in tax money either.
My son’s SSI checks are now stopped, so one hole in the money dam is plugged. But how many other similar cases are there? Early in the ‘80s, when I worked downtown, I sidestepped two drunks. I heard the one person say to the other, “You wanna get on SSI? I know how.” It bothered me then, and still does.
BERNARD SAMSTAG
Culver City
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
