Re US retirees - Updating bank account for SSA direct deposit.

[watthong]

Over the new year holiday I had to change my US credit union bank account due to the previous one being "compromised" (read hacked, a strange-looking transfer being made on my funds raised big red flag with the credit union and they shut down my now-former account.) This was the account where my SSA was direct deposited. So obviously I would need to update the bank account info with SSA. One simple way to do it is to contact SSA in the USA via 800-772-1213. I'm just wondering if contacting SSA Manila would be a better, ie quicker option? If anyone has gone through this process and could give me a heads up, I would appreciate that very much. Thank you all in advance.

[EVENKEEL]

I changed my direct deposit bank online at my SSA account.

[DJ54]

Had to change from US bank (closed account) to Thai bank was done by email to Manila. Only issue 

is it wasn’t done immediately and US bank sent me a check in the mail from US to Thailand. It took about 5 weeks for the check to clear.
 

Worst part was it resulted in a skipped month for monthly deposit for retirement method. Although IO understood via Thai bank statement one month skipped and two deposits @ same due to exchange rate were deposited the next one it was a no go for monthly deposit.  

[watthong]

28 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

I changed my direct deposit bank online at my SSA account.

I don't have a My SSA account unfortunately. I tried to open one when on US soil and ran into trouble with having too many addresses in the past and SSA system wouldn't accept the one I gave it. Even went in person to my local SSA office and they couldn't help either! Was told to contact the 3 big names that give out your credit score and have them told me which one to use. So I gave up (out of disgust) and wouldn't attempt again to open one (My SSA account) now from foreign (aka Thai) soil.

[poobear]

I called the 1 800 number for some bank and address changes and could not have surprised how easy it was to get through and how smooth the process.

[HuskerDo2]

51 minutes ago, watthong said:

I don't have a My SSA account unfortunately. I tried to open one when on US soil and ran into trouble with having too many addresses in the past and SSA system wouldn't accept the one I gave it. Even went in person to my local SSA office and they couldn't help either! Was told to contact the 3 big names that give out your credit score and have them told me which one to use. So I gave up (out of disgust) and wouldn't attempt again to open one (My SSA account) now from foreign (aka Thai) soil.

That's odd. I must have had over 20 addresses before I retired (job movement) and they didn't question that at all. I went into a local branch when I first applied for SS and was amazed at how quickly I was out of there. I think you should attempt to open a My SSA acct. It will save you headaches down the road. First, call them at 1-800-772-1213 and explain your situation so you know all the info you'll need to open the acct. Otherwise, a trip back home might be a good idea to do all of this in person.

 

Another thought is to ask your credit union to transfer the deposit to a new acct automatically upon receipt until you get things resolved. Either that or leave the acct open and tell them to block any transactions other than your ATM withdrawals from Thailand.

[watthong]

18 minutes ago, HuskerDo2 said:

Another thought is to ask your credit union to transfer the deposit to a new acct automatically upon receipt until you get things resolved. Either that or leave the acct open and tell them to block any transactions other than your ATM withdrawals from Thailand.

My bank shut down the "compromised" account and was waiting for me to contact them to straighten things out. Which I of course did. I was relieved to know that that account will remain "open" for another 90 days just for the kind of SSA direct deposit transfer that I was worried about to be able to come through. (I didn't ask for it to be resurrected, simply because it had been accessed fraudulently.) They won't do anything with it without me making a specific request each time. I just got them to transfer the Jan SSA deposit to the new acct, which they willingly did. So I think that is their protocol for dealing with a "hacked" account.

 

Re My SSA account, I think I had run into one inert/inept bureaucrat who was not willing to help for that one visit and I should have asked for his/her supervisor. Or try another branch. Unfortunately at present time a trip back home is not on the horizon anytime soon. (My last trip home still gives me nightmares... but that's another story:-(  So I will try the 800 number and see how far I can go. Thank you for your advice, much appreciated.

[Crazy Noobie]

It is real easy to accomplish what you want, by signing into the SSA Online Website. You can deal with, about everything SSA related. I had to update my direct deposit address last year and it was so simple to update on their website.

[watthong]

6 hours ago, Crazy Noobie said:

It is real easy to accomplish what you want, by signing into the SSA Online Website.

Providing one has a MY SSA account, which as mentioned earlier I do not currently. I will ask if they could help me registering for one when I contact them via phone. Thanks.

 

[StevoLe]

On 1/7/2023 at 7:46 AM, Crazy Noobie said:

It is real easy to accomplish what you want, by signing into the SSA Online Website. You can deal with, about everything SSA related. I had to update my direct deposit address last year and it was so simple to update on their website.

You are only able to change it online if you use a US address.  If your address is in Thailand, you cant change your direct deposit bank or address online.  You either have to call or contact Manila.

[watthong]

On 1/6/2023 at 8:14 PM, poobear said:

I called the 1 800 number for some bank and address changes and could not have surprised how easy it was to get through and how smooth the process.

Were you able to talk to a live person? or with the auto answer option? If it's the later which option did you choose to be able to make the bank details change? I called during (their) office hours and the robot told me it can't transfer my call to a live person because the office was closed. It's the 1-800-1213 number and I called around 11 am their time Tuesday (tonight Tuesday night in Thai time.) I even tried telling the robot that I would like to update my bank account info and it told me to call back during business hours...I was calling on skype.

Edited January 10, 2023 by watthong

[poobear]

 

17 hours ago, watthong said:

Were you able to talk to a live person? or with the auto answer option? If it's the later which option did you choose to be able to make the bank details change? I called during (their) office hours and the robot told me it can't transfer my call to a live person because the office was closed. It's the 1-800-1213 number and I called around 11 am their time Tuesday (tonight Tuesday night in Thai time.) I even tried telling the robot that I would like to update my bank account info and it told me to call back during business hours...I was calling on skype.

I was able to get right through to a live person for free on skype. I can change my own details on the SS website but for my sons benefits I have to call and get a person. I may have looked up the best time to call but whenever i did it couldn't have been easier BUT since I moved again I will have to do the process all over again. Well see...

[racyrick]

1 hour ago, poobear said:

 

I was able to get right through to a live person for free on skype. I can change my own details on the SS website but for my sons benefits I have to call and get a person. I may have looked up the best time to call but whenever i did it couldn't have been easier BUT since I moved again I will have to do the process all over again. Well see...

Are you the representative for your son's benefits?

 

Also, did you get form 7161 this year from the SSA?

Thanks

[poobear]

yes and yes

3 hours ago, racyrick said:

Are you the representative for your son's benefits?

 

Also, did you get form 7161 this year from the SSA?

Thanks

yes and yes

[watthong]

I called back SSA Pennsylvania on skype this morning Thu Bkk time 1030am. Got through to a real person almost immediately. After taking care of business at hand (more on that later,) I ventured to ask the lady what number that showed up as calling number on her screen, and what time zone she was in. It showed up as a 714 area code number (Orange County, Calif.) And her time zone was 10 pm East Coast, which translated to 7pm for the 714 area code (thus the line was open for me to access a real person.) The 714 number looked familiar, turned out to be an old phone number I had way back when (I can't remember whether it was from a sim or google voice or skype.) However the skype number I have recently purchased from Skype is a 315 (New York) area code number and should have showed up instead of the 714. Neither I nor the lady rep have an answer to this riddle.

 

She asked me 3 security questions, and I got stuck at the last one, which should be the easiest, "What is your address on (SSA) file?" Apparently I still have PTSD from my past failure to establish an My SSA account prior to coming to Thailand. As a result I mumbled and fumbled trying to come up with my LAST US address I thought I had on file. That aroused her suspicion and understandably she got recalcitrant when I asked for another alternative security question (or worse yet, when I suggested she gave me a hint of what city my on-file address might be!) "Well then you'll have to come in to your local SSA office to straighten this out." I explained to her that that would be a fate worse than death, or something to that effect, since I now reside in Thailand! A light bulb went on and she asked me to tell her of my current address, again I fumbled "...oh sure, well, let me look around since it's a long one - ah, wait, it's right here on my COLA letter I just got a couple of days ago!" At this point both sides breathed a sigh of relief and I realized my mind had got so fogged up in the past that I completely forgot the present.

 

The update went smoothly and quickly, basically giving out the new routing and account number (she did ask for the old account number though) Next month ie Feb I should get my SSA via the new account number. "Anything else I can help you with?" - I then asked her about my 7162 status. So far she said there's no red flag raised in my file about stopping the deposit, so she guessed everything is (still) kosher - though she couldn't tell whether my 7162 return has been processed or not.

 

Above is my experience of dealing with the aftermath of having my bank account hacked over the new year holidays. Getting new account, update paypal, update SSA and the only thing left is updating my transferwise account, which is not an update really, just have to give them the new bank details when doing my next transfer. Last but not least thanks to all who have chipped in with advice/suggestions. Much appreciated and I'm happy to report a successful outcome.

 

Edited January 13, 2023 by watthong