Social Security Administration Requires In-Person ID Checks While Shutting Down Dozens of Field Offices

According to CBS News, the Social Security Administration will require in-person identity verification for recipients who can't confirm their identity online. The change coincides with the closure of dozens of SSA field offices and potential mass layoffs. Critics argue the policy will burden elderly, rural, and low-income individuals, especially those without internet access. The White House says the move targets fraud prevention, citing $100 million in annual fraud losses. Advocates warn the policy could collapse the system and accuse the administration of trying to privatize Social Security.