Cross-referred Social Security Numbers

Submitting OIG:

Report Description:

Objectives: To determine the validity of payments issued under cross-referred Social Security numbers and whether death information input in one Numident record was also input in cross-referred Numident record(s).

Date Issued:

Wednesday, July 31, 2024

Agency Reviewed / Investigated:

Social Security Administration

Submitting OIG-Specific Report Number:

062308

Location(s):

Agency-Wide

Type of Report:

Audit

Questioned Costs:

$146,561,527

Funds for Better Use:

$22,865,204

Number of Recommendations:

Report updated under NDAA 5274:

View Document:

Attachment	Size
062308.pdf	756.35 KB

Related Open Recommendations

Recommendation Number	Recommendation Status	Significant Recommendation
1	Open	Yes
Maximize technology (for example, develop automated program that compares Numident name, date of birth, sex designation, place of birth, parents’ names) to identify all instances where two different individuals’ Numident records are cross-referred and uncross-refer the records.
2	Open	Yes
Review all cases where it simultaneously issues payments to beneficiaries under both cross-referred SSNs and take action to correct the records.
3	Open	Yes
Review all cases where the Numident records of beneficiaries in current payment status are cross-referred to deceased individuals’ Numident records and take action to correct the records.
4	Open	Yes
Maximize technology (for example, develop automated program that compares Numident name, date of birth, sex designation, place of birth, parents’ names) to review the 2.4 million non-current payment status beneficiaries whose cross-referred Numident records contain death information, and input death information on their cross-referred record, as appropriate.
5	Open	Yes
Implement controls to prevent similar errors from occurring in the future.

Recommendation Number

Recommendation Status

Significant Recommendation

Additional Details

Open

Yes

Maximize technology (for example, develop automated program that compares Numident name, date of birth, sex designation, place of birth, parents’ names) to identify all instances where two different individuals’ Numident records are cross-referred and uncross-refer the records.

Open

Yes

Review all cases where it simultaneously issues payments to beneficiaries under both cross-referred SSNs and take action to correct the records.

Open

Yes