Schumer calls for Social Security safety measures

[Rhiannon12866]

Source: (Albany) Times Union

NEW YORK — Sen. Chuck Schumer says scammers are stealing thousands of senior citizens' Social Security payments, often with just one phone call.

The New York Democrat on Sunday urged the federal Social Security Administration to take safety measures to curb the fraud.

As of August, the senator says, there have been more than 19,000 reports of attempted identify thefts. That's about 50 each day.

The payments are directly deposited into private bank accounts. Scammers divert payments by obtaining account information, then making a phone call to reroute the money to their own accounts.

Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Schumer-calls-for-Social-Security-safety-measures-3948279.php

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As if seniors didn't have enough to worry about from the Republicans...

[elleng]

1. Nothing like 'progress.'

Electronic voting, direct deposit SS.

[Rhiannon12866]

2. Folks are encouraged to use direct deposit because it's supposed to be "safer..."

And I still don't like/trust electronic voting. I used the old lever machines my whole life until a couple of years ago here in NY.

[elleng]

3. Right.

P.S., have used direct deposit for 30+ years, federal salary, s.s.
Used lever machines in Chicago years ago, and don't trust anything, voting-wise, given repugs proclivity to lie and steal.

[Tribalceltic]

7. Lever voting machines made me feel safer

There was just something about them. That and the fact that when I voted in NY, I knew and was known by most of the poll workers. Unsung heroes all of them.

[Lugnut]

6. My county is using ES&S electronic voting machines.

There is no paper trail and I hate the damned things. We used the old lever machines until the previous administration forced the new machines on PA and this country.

[Bohunk68]

8. I work as an Election Inspector

in Schoharie County, NY. I can tell you that the newer electronic voting is much much safer than the older lever type machines. Why, you ask? Because there is now a paper trail of ballots. The new electronic scanners are fed paper ballots that are collected below the machine and these can be recounted, by hand, if there is a recount. Also, each election, there is an accuracy check done on each machine. The old levers did not have a paper ballot and could be scammed by the insertion of items on the back of the machine. It is no accident that NY was the last state to come into compliance with HAVA, it happened because many throughout the state insisted on a recountable paper ballot.
Its those states that use strictly electronic touch screen voting where the vote is most at risk. Activists in those states should check out NY's method and adopt it as a safety check for the vote.

[Rhiannon12866]

9. Thanks so much for the reassurance!

I've been worried ever since we started using the new machines. I'm in NY, just north of Glens Falls, District 20. I whispered to the poll worker (Democrat ) who was in charge of the machine and he told me that there was nothing to worry about. Thanks for letting me know he was right...

[Selatius]

10. I still don't think e-voting is safe unless there is both a paper trail and a mandatory recount.

The mandatory recount would ensure that the ballots actually match the counts that the machines are spitting out.

The machines could be hacked and programmed to correctly print out a paper ballot of the voters' choices but sends an incorrect electronic count to the authorities in charge.

Only with a mandated recount would a false electronic count be discovered, but the catch is there would not be any recount if the race never appeared close enough to justify the recount in the first place.

[FlaGranny]

13. They do an audit

recount of a small percentage here, but a larger percentage should be recounted, like 20-25% instead of 2%. I believe a random audit of a larger percentage would make voting secure.

[Bohunk68]

16. Perhaps I should have been more explicit.

There is an audit done of all machines before they even go out to the precincts and the machine is sealed. After the vote, a percentage, I don't know what, is rerun by inserting the ballots and checking the totals against the election day returns from that precinct. A hand count is also done on a percentage of machines to check. An actual hand count is done in the case of a recount being called for. I believe that we have the most accurate form of voting in NYS short of an actual precinct by precinct hand count.

[dflprincess]

4. I hope Schumer also plans to protect Social Security

from all the political scams out to destroy it.

[SansACause]

5. The D team should play this up.

We should outline a plan of how we are going to protect the 99% if Thurston gets elected. I think that would drive the point home that nobody should be eating catfood.

[Cooley Hurd]

11. kick!

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

12. I just applied for SS, now I have one more thing to worry about?

Not very secure if an anonymous phone call can change the direct-deposit info.

[Rhiannon12866]

14. Well, you can thank Senator Schumer for the crackdown...

[Bluenorthwest]

19. Uh, not an anonymous phone call, a phone call using stolen information

given under the name of the beneficiary. Anonymous means 'no name given' and this is 'stolen name give'. The theif has to have your name, SS number, bank account number and other identification and use it as their own. That is not an anonymous phone call, that is identity theft, and a person with all of that information could do much harm in many areas. Just for perspective.

[Odin2005]

15. Most NY pols are owned by Wall Streel, regardless of party.

And Wall Street wants our SS money.

[Bohunk68]

17. I do not believe that blanket condemnation is in order for NY politicians.

Yes, there are some who are, shall we say, dubious. but to do a broadbrush is just inappropriate. I have full confidence in Senator Gillibrand, whom I will proudly vote for again. I have her bumpersticker prominently displayed in the rear window of my pickup truck. And while after Jan 1st, I will no longer be in Cong. Tonko's district, I am fully confident that as a member of the Progressive Caucus, he is not a Wall Street flunky. Nor was Maurice Hinchey, who is retiring.
We are now in a district that come Jan 1st will be either the current occupant, Gibson, a Teabagger, or Julian Schreibman, another Progressive who is fully endorsed by Hinchey.

[kooljerk666]

18. I would never support Schumer

Gillibrand, I do not know and Cuomo in a 2016 run? hahahahahahaha no way!

Pro frackers can burn in hell forever, I live in PA & fracking as far as I am concerned is doing more damage than every terrorist attack we ever received.

Frack lovers are bought off by the carbon fuel industry & work against renewables, no way ever.

And please feel free to trash all the PA pols you want, there are not too many worth more than their weight in dog crap. You will not hurt my feelings at all.

[Rhiannon12866]

20. Totally agree with you!

I'm in Kirsten Gillibrand's former district, NY-20 until now. She was very popular here and she's proven to be a terrific senator. But I wish I knew where you got your bumper sticker. I've had three, I think, but the first one fell apart and the other two fell off somewhere...

Unfortunately, we're now redistricted, and I was looking forward to voting against teabagger Chris Gibson again. I worked for Scott Murphy, Kirsten Gillibrand's replacement in Congress, on both of his campaigns. He was smart, sincere and did a lot for the district, Agriculture and Armed Services Committee, farmers and veterans, and agreed with Gillibrand on most issues.

I was at his debate with Gibson and a lot of the voter disapproval seemed to come from his vote in favor of health care reform. There was a sea of red shirted senior citizens, figure they had to have been bused in, who were very vocal and rude towards Scott. I called them "senior citizens against health care..."

I'm just north of GF, so we're no longer NY-20. The Democratic candidate for Congress is now Bill Owens from Plattsburgh, while Scott Murphy lived right in town here. I don't know much about Owens except that he voted with the Republicans to censure Eric Holder, while most of the Democrats walked out. I'm voting for him, since the alternative is much worse, but I'm not happy.

Here's to voting more Democrats into the House!

[Bohunk68]

21. I luuuuuuuuuuuuv Kirsten

She is fully behind GLBT rights and was one of the driving forces behind the repeal of DADT. I have the sticker from the '08 campaign when she was here in Scary (that's what we call it) County. I also had a bunch of the smaller ones that I put on all of my notebooks that I carry to Sr. Citizens Council meetings, Board of Assessment Review and Town Council meetings. Even have one on my calender that goes in my pocket. i think she is just awesome and that was even before she came out for repeal of DADT. And, Tonko? Oh, MY, I am so gonna miss him. The man is also awesome. He's also voted for repeal of DADT and says he will also vote for DOMA repeal if it comes on the House floor. Paul has always worked hard for his district, it is his whole life. Even the Sr. Citizens Council works to keep him in office!! I really hope that Schreibman gets in rather than that POS Gibson. Gibson voted against relief aid for the flood victims in Schoharie county last year UNLESS if it came from the tornado victims in Joplin, MO. Ain't he a frickin' sweetheart? But, ya wanna bet, Schoharie county will go for him because of the huge Rethuglican vote advantage, and oh, don't ya know, he's a marine vet? AARRRRRRRRRRRGH. Darn, don't know how to add the smilies or it would be the one of butting head against wall.

[madokie]

22. Go away Chuck

Just go away. if I remember correctly it is he who gave us Murdock and his faux noise machine