SAN DIEGO (Border Report) Fred Hall told Border Report he walked more than 14 blocks to get to the Social Security Administration office in Downtown San Diego trying to take care of “important Social Security business.”
When he finally got there, he was turned away by a locked door adding to his frustrations of trying to get a hold of someone inside.
“I can’t get a hold of anyone in this town,” he said.
“My phone is dead, I can’t get a phone to report that my phone is dead, I can’t go to the library to use the internet because the library is closed, the senior centers are closed, I just can’t get any help,” Hall said.
Hall said he’s been trying to get helps from Social Security for weeks but to no avail.
It appears seniors like Hall, have become victims of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. While talking to him, at least two other senior citizens walked up to the office without getting inside or finding anyone to help them.
It’s not just in San Diego. All local Social Security offices closed to the public for in-person service starting Tuesday, March 17, 2020. The decision was to protect the population the agency serves — “older Americans and people with underlying medical conditions” — and employees during the coronavirus pandemic.
“I think they should have a skeleton crew; they could have one person to take a note and mail you something back,” Hall said.
There is a phone number posted on the door, but when you call, it advises people to log onto their website for further assistance. If you wait longer, you will get to speak to an agent who takes down your information and promises to have someone call you back.
This is what happened when Border Report called seeking information and answers to Hall’s concerns. When we did reach a representative, we were directed to another department, but no one has returned our calls.
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