Channel 5 Seattle reported tonight that hundreds of social security checks are showing up with the wrong numbers in Washington and Idaho. According to one recipient the 2 middle numbers are incorrect Channel 5 is the local NBC station. Any more reports out there. As the person interviewed stated they dont use names just numbers.

Martin

-- Martin Thompson (Martin@aol.com), December 05, 1999

Answers

And away it goes! ............

-- another battle in seattle (whitehairs@march.checks.soon), December 05, 1999.

There's going to be so many Y2K screw-ups hitting the news this month that non-one, not even PRES. BEELEZEBUBBA, HITLARY, GREEDSPIN, or any alphabet-soup NWO "news" networks are going to be able to filter them all out.

-- profit of doom (doom@helltopay.ca), December 05, 1999.

link> http://www.msnbc.com/local/KING/450015.asp

compliant my ass! they did get their checks though. I just wonder if they were able to cash them...

-- Vern (bacon17@ibm.net), December 05, 1999.

Guess they can just tank up their horseless chariotts and cruise down to that ATM that's kickin' out $4,500 to customers, and not have a care in the world.

-- Hokie (nn@va.com), December 05, 1999.

I'd not be surprised if Y2K were "indirectly" responsible in the sense that system Y2K fixes were ramrodded into place and not tested thoroughly. The transposing of the middle digits of a social security number -- wow, that sure sounds like the "weird and wonderous" ways that Y2K will affect things.

-- King of Spain (madrid@aol.cum), December 05, 1999.

I live near Spokane. The SS item was on TV both last night and tonight. One correction: The problem is being reported with annual statements that people receive from the SSA, not the SS checks. My understanding is that these statements report what you've paid into the SS system over the years, among other things.

Bob

-- Bob Benson (appysys@earthlink.net), December 05, 1999.

...the article linked in my previous posted reply says "checks"...not statements. Either you are misinformed or channel five is misreporting!

-- Vern (bacon17@ibm.net), December 05, 1999.

Well, if I'm wrong, it wouldn't be the first time. :-) But I did check with my wife and that's what she heard too, the annual statements. I'll see if I can find any articles from the Spokane newspapers that mention it.

-- Bob Benson (appysys@earthlink.net), December 05, 1999.

Seattle channel 5 did say "checks". I wonder if the direct deposit SS checks were affected. Does the SS # have to match before the check will accept the electronic transfer???

-- Sammie (sammiex0@hotmail.com), December 05, 1999.

Frankly - if it were just the checks that were screwed up, I'd be less worried. A "few" checks wrongly written, incorrectly cashed, or not cashed can be solved.

Even if it resulted in massive fraud, the "system" could recover.

BUT - if the account is screwed up, if the recrod itself were "a few numbers off" - then you have no system: NOBODY knows what is valid, invalid,or can be trusted in future years, for ANY account.

Do you see the difference?

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), December 06, 1999.

Robert,

Just what I was thinking. My husband and I got our SS statements this year, and they are filed away. Might need those for sure!

-- Dian (bdp@accessunited.com), December 06, 1999.

Vern:

Here is what NBC out of Spokane posted at their site:

http://www.msnbc.com/local/KHQ/16406.asp

It mentions statements. This all came to light over the weekend so someone, somewhere is confused. I imagine the media will be able to get it straight (don't hold your breath) once they contact the SSA on Monday.

Bob

-- Bob Benson (appysys@earthlink.net), December 06, 1999.

I just realized that the statements refered to could be a statement that is received as a result of an electronic deposit. Maybe that's where I'm getting confused.

Bob

-- Bob Benson (appysys@earthlink.net), December 06, 1999.

The individual interviewed on channel 5 showed a statement from the SSA. One of those that you have to tear a strip off of both sides hoping that you dont tear the whole thing. Standard goverment form. The reporter said checks but was wrong. Whats new.

Martin

-- Martin Thompson (Martin@aol.com), December 06, 1999.

I have a screwed up Social Security statement in my hand. My Mom got one. It is from the SSAdmin (Annual Benefit Statement). On the outside it says "Social Security is Y2K okay" On the inside the name and address and amount is correct but the MIDDLE two numbers of the social security number reads "33" instead of the correct middle two numbers. From what I heard on the news that is what is happening to everyones number, the middle two numbers are incorrect, but the first three and last four are correct. I hope this doesnt take long to correct and doesnt delay benefits for the elderly. By the way, I wonder if MY payments out of my salary are going to the right numbered account?? It could be a more widespread problem than just involving those RECEIVING benefits!!

-- Ann Fisher (zyax55a@prodigy.net), December 06, 1999.

Silence, traitors. There have been no problems related to Y2K. There will be no problems related to Y2K.

The disruptions, undersupply and inflation that will occur will be due entirely to inclement weather, computer viruses created by hostile governments, international profiteering, terrorists, perfectly normal hardware and software failures, hastily installed replacement systems, global economic conditions and good old fashioned human error. We have spent a gzillion dollars fixing this, there are no Y2K problems. You are in error, citizen.

If the power and TV stay on for an hour after rollover, this will be the line we will be fed. And the vast majority of people will eat it right up and ask for more, even if the shelves stay empty. Get used to that idea. :(

-- Colin MacDonald (roborogerborg@yahoo.com), December 06, 1999.

Don't worry... it will all be corrected in 3 days.

-- Linda (lwmb@psln.com), December 06, 1999.

http://www.msnbc.com/local/KHQ/16406.asp

Link

Station Home Page & More Local Information

Social Security computer glitch fouling up statements SPOKANE, December 5 - If you receive social security benefits, check the statement you just received. Your social security number may be wrong.

Thousands of seniors in Washington and Idaho have noticed the middle two numbers are incorrect. Theyre actually a reprint of the two numbers in the last part of your social security number. It has a lot of seniors very concerned. I have electronic transfer, wire transfer into my bank, said Jeannette Dechenne, a social security receipient. So the thought struck me, I wonder if the computer has fouled up the route number and the account number to my bank. Theres no evidence yet that that happened, and fortunately, everything else on the statements appear to be right, including the dollar amount of the social security benefit. Q-6 news was unable to reach anyone from the Social Security office over the weekend for an explanation.

-- Homer Beanfang (Bats@inbellfry.com), December 06, 1999.

Yep - switched digits.....wonder what other problems will occur?

---

By the way - this error is from the single federal agency that claimed to ready first, fastest, and finest....in December of last year.

This is why you need a year for testing - cause it took a year to find this error? Now, how long has this error been going through the system? How many errors have been stuffed into how many Social Security files?

I'd recommend writing your senator and federal representative - just to bug them, just to force them to ask the social security administration to acknowldge exacly "how many" are affected, and how the error got introduced in the first place..

...this kind of error isn't trivial, should NEVER have been allowed to get past the person writing it, and should absolutely have never been released into production - sheer criminal level (fraud, waste, negligence....) incompetence.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), December 06, 1999.

Ann,

The payments from your salary do NOT go into an account with your name on it.

They go into the general taxpayer fund and pay for your mother's social security.

YOU ARE PAYING FOR HER TO RECEIVE BENEFITS!!!!!!!!

IRS to SSA nice work if you can get it.

-- nothere nothere (notherethere@hotmail.com), December 06, 1999.

Colin,

You forgot evil hoarders.

:-)

-- Deborah (infowars@yahoo.com), December 06, 1999.

Think I gotta side with Colin on this one. This is not a Y2k glitch, it's some kind of ripple effect from hoarding. I don't know exactly how that cause-and-effect works, but I'm pretty sure it's caused by hoarding. Or cyberterrorists. That's always possible.

-- bw (home@puget.sound), December 06, 1999.

There's going to be so many Y2K screw-ups hitting the news this month that non-one, not even PRES. BEELEZEBUBBA, HITLARY, GREEDSPIN, or any alphabet-soup NWO "news" networks are going to be able to filter them all out.

Now that was funny!!

-- (Polly@troll.com), December 06, 1999.

Actually, it is I, The Squirrel King!!!My Furry Bretheren have Successfully Infiltrated your Social Security Accounts Computer, and chewed a hole in its wiring!!!Surrender Now!!!Long Live the Rodent Revolution!!!

-- The Squirrel King (StillNuts@upina.Tree), December 06, 1999.

Local radio here in Seattle reported that it was a regional problem and Patty Murphy, Senator from WA was looking into it

Martin

-- Martin Thompson (Martin@aol.com), December 06, 1999.

Local radio news reporter in Spokane was able to speak to a local social security spokesmodel, who said, "This is NOT, repeat NOT NOT NOT, a Y2K computer problem! This was a *printer* problem! You will have no trouble depositing your checks, and there is no problem with your social security account. We will have this fixed *soon*. Please call us if you have received one of these checks and have any concerns." Don't they KNOW who received the screwed up checks? And, just how can a "printer problem" print the wrong two digits in thousands of social security checks??

-- (RUOK@yesiam.com), December 06, 1999.

Harken unto the SSA:

"It's not a Y2K computer problem because we SAY it's not! Y2K computer problems are very, very bad and cause nice people to worry, and besides, the problem was with their SS number, not a date, OK? Printer problems, on the other hand, sound sorta OK and normal and fixable, kinda like when your HP Deskjet starts leaving little gaps on the page. So it's a printer problem! We will absolutely not under any circumstances call this a Y2K computer problem. Nosirree bob..."

And remember, friends: be sure to keep copies of all important documents, if only to note just how weirdly some computer systems will behave when remediated and put back into production without proper testing.

-- Mac (sneak@lurk.hid), December 06, 1999.

Absolute, flat-out lie.

It is a FAILURE in the Social Security PROGRAM itself, though possibly not in the database yet - maybe!

IF we are lucky, the database is okay, and "only" the printed checks and statements - though not the backup copies and electronic copies and tape copies .... have not yet been corrupted "or saved" with the wrong data.

It cannot be a printer problem, though I'll concede that the "program" that prints the checks and statements (obviously) has an error .... DON'T LET ANYBODY sidetrack your comments by calling it a printer problem. It is a social security program error that "might not" have thoroughly screwed up everybody's records. After all, if the saved records weren't screwed up - they'd have fixed it immediately, right?

Just one of a few simple questions to ask your Congressman: So just how/where/when/and to who did the "wrong" checks get written to? Why only the Seattle office - aren't all using the same program? If not, WHY IS SEATTLE different? How do we know the system is correct? How do we "know" our parents/our own/our kids' files are correct?

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), December 06, 1999.

Robert -- No, not a lie. "Deliberate misleading." Ask Flint. He'll explain the difference.

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), December 06, 1999.