The Social Security Administration has reversed its controversial plan to eliminate phone services for benefit claims, a move that would have forced millions of seniors to apply online or in person, creating barriers for rural residents and those without reliable internet access.

The decision followed intense advocacy from organizations and beneficiaries such as Phyllis Wilson of Southaven, Mississippi, who faced the system's challenges firsthand. While navigating issues with her spousal benefits under the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), Wilson called the administration's 1-800 number and waited on hold for three hours without an answer, even documenting the ordeal with a screenshot. Her persistence paid off when she called the local office in Hernando, which was able to help.

"And I know there were other people who could not get through, whose offices had actually closed," she said, "but they answered right away and they talked to me about my spousal benefits and had told me that they could see that I was impacted by the WEP; there was nothing that I needed to do. "

Wilson's payment arrived within a week, prompting her to alert friends about the solution. The now-reversed policy would have affected Mississippi's 680,000 Social Security recipients. The administration itself estimates that this change could have overwhelmed offices with 4 million additional annual visits, or up to 85,000 more per week.

Kimberly Campbell, AARP Mississippi state director, praised the administration's about-face for recognizing the importance of phone access for vulnerable people.

"There is also the issue of travel," she said. "You have someplace where individuals may have to travel hours to get to in-person application and to prove their identities, and so removing the phone capabilities was critical to us."

As the administration implements phone-based fraud checks, projecting around 70,000 claims might be flagged annually for in-person verification, Campbell warned that access hurdles persist. Nearly 8 million seniors have travel-limiting disabilities, while 6 million don't drive at all, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

The Social Security Administration is standing down on implementing a plan which would have dramatically affected how recipients can access critical benefits and receive information they need.

AARP Iowa has been pushing back on the plan, reminding lawmakers in Congress that thousands of Iowans rely on Social Security and need to be able to access their benefits and receive timely customer service.

Michael Wagler, AARP Iowa state director, said his organization is working to make sure older Iowans continue to get the information they need. He said while it is good news the agency has stopped the proposed changes, doing so adds to the uncertainty around restructuring plans including staff reductions, office closures and other changes.

"There was already a crisis of customer service happening related to long hold times, and low staffing, delayed call back systems, confused announcements offices closing different things that are happening at a pace we just can't prepare for," Wagler explained.

The proposed changes were scheduled to take effect in less than a week but the agency announced all claims will still be allowed to be processed over the phone, at least for now.

The latest data show more than 687,000 Iowans receive a total of $1.2 billion a year in Social Security benefits.

Beyond the logistic challenges, Wagler pointed out uncertainty and confusion also create opportunities for criminals.

"We are also concerned that the change to phone services and other changes that are also happening on a daily basis will lead to scammers using the confusion that the agency has created around this rollout to exploit and prey on Iowans," Wagler noted. "While this announcement's aim was the idea that it was to combat fraud, we are also concerned that this will have the opposite effect."

AARP said its members have sent more than 1 million emails and calls to Congress in recent weeks to push back on the proposed changes and their negative effects on customer service for the 69 million older Americans who rely on Social Security.

In less than a week, many Wisconsinites will be unable to apply for Social Security benefits over the phone, which could lead to potential disruptions and challenges for millions as the nationwide change takes effect.

Starting April 14, seniors applying for retirement benefits or making direct deposit changes must do so online or in-person at a Social Security Administration office as part of a new identity verification process. The change comes in haste from the White House amid massive federal budget cuts which have already trimmed staff and resources at the agency.

Jim Flaherty, communications director for AARP Wisconsin, said calls to AARP's national call center have more than doubled in the last two months.

"They're concerned, and they're confused," Flaherty observed. "It is up to our President and our Congress to work in a bipartisan manner; this is not a partisan issue. They need to work together to make sure that this program remains strong and solvent for current and future generations."

People can qualify for Social Security benefits through retirement, disability or as a family member of someone who is eligible. More than 1.3 million Wisconsinites receive Social Security benefits. For now, those applying for disability, SSI and Medicare can continue to do so by phone.

There is also confusion about Social Security Administration office closures, which the agency said have been falsely reported but cuts to resources and services disproportionately affect rural and tribal communities. About one in five Wisconsinites would have to drive at least 46 miles from their home to the nearest Social Security office, while nearly half would have to drive at least 23 miles, according to the Urban Institute.

Flaherty emphasized for some, it is more than an inconvenience.

"For a lot of folks, Social Security makes up the majority of their retirement income," Flaherty pointed out. "Cuts to the program and services could be devastating for them. These are folks who are struggling to just to pay their rent or mortgage and put food on the table."

While the Trump Administration has said it will protect Social Security and changes are meant to address fraud and increase efficiency, Flaherty added people are understandably anxious about what could happen next.

"This is a very tough and serious situation that we want folks to be aware of," Flaherty stressed. "This is the time to call your members of Congress and say, 'Hey, you've got to do something before this April 14th deadline to extend this,' because it would be devastating for so many folks."

A bill in the Maryland General Assembly would regulate cryptocurrency kiosks, the more than 700 ATM-like machines for virtual currencies around the state.

The FBI received more than 4,400 complaints about the kiosks in 2023, according to a report on cryptocurrency scams. Nearly 60% of complaints came from people over the age of 60.

The legislation would establish registration and operating requirements for the kiosks in the state, enforced by the Commissioner for Financial Regulation.

Tammy Bresnahan, senior director of advocacy for AARP Maryland, said crypto kiosks have become a new way for scammers to target people.

"These kiosks have become a haven for scammers to call people to say, 'There's a problem with your account. You need to take money -- $4,500 in cash -- and deposit it into this nearby cryptocurrency kiosk because your account has been compromised,'" Bresnahan explained.

The total losses from cryptocurrency kiosks in 2023 exceeded $150 million.

The FBI advised no legitimate law enforcement or government agency would call or message demanding payment with a cryptocurrency. Bresnahan pointed out one of the issues with kiosks is they are not required to provide a user a receipt for their transaction, making them hard to track.

"Operators must clearly disclose transaction fees and exchange rates," Bresnahan urged. "And there has to be some kind of receipt. It doesn't have to be a printed receipt, but it has to be some kind of detailed receipt, whether it's on the system or whether it comes out printed. Because, right now, when you put money in there, you don't get anything."

Other states, like Minnesota and Vermont, have already passed legislation regulating virtual currency kiosks.