Betsy Rosecan, NOSSCR Government Relations Director

On September 17, 2024, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 3784, the Improving Social Security’s Service to Victims of Identity Theft Act, by voice vote. The bill was introduced in June of 2023 by Congressman Drew Ferguson (R-GA) and was cosponsored by Congressman John Larson (D-CT) and Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY).

H.R. 3784 would require the Social Security Administration (SSA) to provide victims of identity theft with a single point of contact at the agency when the misuse of their Social Security number results in the need to resolve an issue or issues with the SSA or when their Social Security card is lost in the mail.

This legislation was received in the Senate on September 18, 2024, where it was referred to the Senate Committee on Finance.

Bill Details:

To amend title VII of the Social Security Act to provide for a single point of contact at the Social Security Administration for individuals who are victims of identity theft.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. Short title.

This Act may be cited as the “Improving Social Security’s Service to Victims of Identity Theft Act”.

SEC. 2. Single point of contact for identity theft victims.

(a) In general.—Title VII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 901 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“SEC. 714. Single point of contact for identity theft victims.

“(a) In general.—The Commissioner of Social Security shall establish and implement procedures to ensure that any individual whose social security account number has been misused (such as to fraudulently obtain benefits under title II, VIII, or XVI of this Act, or in a manner that affects an individual’s records at the Social Security Administration, or in a manner that prompts the individual to request a new social security account number) or whose social security card has been lost in the course of transmission to the individual has a single point of contact at the Social Security Administration throughout the resolution of the individual’s case. The single point of contact shall track the individual’s case to completion and coordinate with other units to resolve issues as quickly as possible.

“(b) Single point of contact.—

“(1) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of subsection (a), the single point of contact shall consist of a team or subset of specially trained employees who—

“(A) have the ability to coordinate with other units to resolve the issues involved in the individual’s case, and

“(B) shall be accountable for the case until its resolution.

“(2) TEAM OR SUBSET.—The employees included within the team or subset described in paragraph (1) may change as required to meet the needs of the Social Security Administration, provided that procedures have been established to—

“(A) ensure continuity of records and case history, and

“(B) notify the individual when appropriate.”.

(b) Effective date.—The amendment made by subsection (a) shall take effect 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act.

Passed the House of Representatives September 17, 2024.