New US Social Security Online requirements

If you remember last year's kerfuffle about "requiring a US cell phone" to log onto the Social Security Administration website, enough of us screamed bloody murder ("...listened to your concerns") that they rescinded that quickly. IT'S BAAACCKK. Except this time, they require a cell OR an email address, which i believe everybody has anyway. Check the website for details. Also, the password expires after 6 months, so be sure to sign on at least that often...


<<Enhanced Security for your my Social Security Account
Social Security continues to evaluate and improve how we protect what’s important to you. We take this responsibility seriously, and we have a robust cybersecurity program in place to help protect the personal information you entrust to us. Adding additional security measures to safeguard your personal information — but making our services easy to use — is a vital part of keeping you safe and secure.

On June 10, 2017, we will add a second method to check your identification when you sign in to mySocial Security. This is in addition to the first layer of security, your username and password. Right now, you don’t have to do anything for this new process. But you may want to sign in to your account to make sure you remember your username and password. Then, when you sign in on or after June 10, you will be able to choose either your cell phone or your email address as your second identification method. Using two ways to identify you when you log on will help better protect your account from unauthorized use and potential identity fraud.

Since my Social Security became available in May 2012, more than 30 million people have created an account. We have always offered a second layer of protection, but only for customers who opted to use it.

Last summer, we added a second way for us to check your identity when you registered or signed in to my Social Security. However, at that time, we only allowed the use of a cell phone as your second identification method. We listened to your concerns, and beginning on June 10, you can choose either your cell phone or your email address as the second way for us to identify you. Since an email address is already required to use my Social Security, everyone can continue to benefit from the features mySocial Security provides.

Each time you sign in to your account, you will complete two steps:

• Step 1: Enter your username and password.
• Step 2: Enter the security code we send you by text message or email, depending on your choice (your cell phone provider's text message and data rates may apply).

If you do not have a text-enabled cell phone, or you do not wish to provide your cell phone number, you will need to choose your email address as a contact method so we can send you a one-time security code to access your my Social Security account. To ensure you receive the email with the one-time security code timely and it does not go into your spam or junk folder, you can add NO-REPLY@ssa.gov to your contact list.

We’re committed to using the best technologies and standards available to protect our customers’ data. This new security advancement is just one of the ways we’re ensuring the safety of the resources entrusted to us.

In addition to these security enhancements, we are also upgrading the look and feel of my Social Security, in an effort to create an enhanced customer experience. The my Social Security portal will automatically change its size based on the size of the screen and kind of device you are using – such as a tablet, smart phone, or computer. No matter what type of device you choose, you will have full, easy-to-use access to your personal my Social Security account.>>