Senators’ bill cuts red tape and creates a single point of contact at the Social Security Administration for identity theft cases
WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema and Republican Senator Chuck Grassley (Iowa) reintroduced the Improving Social Security’s Service to Victims of Identity Theft Act—bipartisan legislation making it easier for identity theft victims to resolve their cases by cutting red tape and creating a single point of contact at the Social Security Administration for identity theft cases.
“Arizonans victimized by scammers should be able to easily get help and resolve their issues with the Social Security Administration. Our bill cuts red tape and simplifies Arizonans’ ability to secure their information and receive efficient assistance after identity theft,” said Sinema.
Sinema and Grassley’s bipartisan legislation requires the Social Security Administration to provide identity theft victims with a single point of contact to help guide them through resolving various issues within the Social Security Administration. The bill also has the support of Senator Ron Wyden (Oregon) Senator Mike Crapo (Idaho), and leaders of the Senate Finance Committee.
Sinema’s legislation is endorsed by the AARP, Social Security Works, Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC), National Council of Social Security Management Associations (NCSSMA), and the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives (NOSSCR).
Sinema has long championed Arizonans who have fallen victim to illegal scams. Last year, the Senate Commerce Committee passed the Sinema-backed Protecting Seniors from Emergency Scams Act—bipartisan legislation protecting Arizona seniors from scams by requiring the Federal Trade Commission to identify the amount and types of scams targeting Arizona senior citizens and make policy recommendations to prevent such scams, especially scams with implications for future national emergencies. The bill also requires the FTC to update its web portal with new information, searchable by region and scam type, on senior-targeted scams. The U.S. Senate unanimously approved Sinema’s resolution designating May 13, 2021 as National Senior Fraud Awareness Day.
While Sinema was in the U.S. House, she worked with the then-Chair of the Senate Aging Committee, Republican Senator Susan Collins (Maine), to pass the Senior Safe Act into law, empowering financial institutions to report suspected instances of elder financial abuse and fraud. In the U.S. Senate, Sinema and Senator Collins continued their work by introducing the Senior Security Act, which would create a task force at the Securities and Exchange Commission to protect seniors from financial crimes, and the Anti-Spoofing Penalties Modernization Act, which would increase penalties for criminals who use misleading robocalls to harass and defraud seniors and veterans.
While serving in the U.S. House, Sinema also partnered with Republican Senator Tim Scott (South Carolina) to pass the Protecting Children from Identity Theft Act, requiring the Social Security Administration to develop a database to facilitate the verification of consumer information upon request by a certified financial institution to especially protect children who are often targeted for identity theft. She also successfully advocated on behalf of Arizona parents and children to cut red tape at the Social Security Administration, ensuring victims of identity theft can get new Social Security Numbers and the fresh start they deserve.