TX - 4,000 Social Security checks lost

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TX - 4,000 Social Security checks lost

Laura Cruz El Paso Times

Social Security checks that were due last week for about 4,000 El Pasoans have not been delivered, and officials haven't found out what is causing the delay, Social Security officials said.

"We're really not sure what's going on," Wes Davis, regional Social Security spokesman in Dallas, said Monday. "There are some reports of bad weather, but sometimes it's human error."

Alex Arce, Social Security spokesman in El Paso, said the exact number of missing checks is unknown but is being investigated. People who rely heavily on the checks can get an immediate payment at one of the two local Social Security offices, he said.

"We've been inundated with people who need their check," Arce said. "In the East Side office, we processed about 450 payments and about 300 in the Downtown office."

Carmen Wilson of the Lower Valley said that because of the delay, her family is going to have some checks bounce, "and we're hurting, but we'll be OK."

"A lot of people here in the Lower Valley are hurting," Wilson said. "My neighbor said she had to call the electric company because they don't have money to pay the bill. And she said she didn't know what to do about groceries ... and other bills."

Davis said it's the people who are dependent on the checks that the government is most worried about.

"We're trying to get a handle on how many people have not received their check," he said.

Diana Martinez, 35, said the checks she receives for herself and her 13-year-old son mean everything.

"It's my bills; it's my rent," she said. "If I'm doing bad, what about the elderly who don't have anyone?"

Nicolasa Ulloa, 84, said she's lucky because she has a savings account that she can use when she's in tight spots.

"I had to take a little bit of money out of my savings account, which isn't very much," Ulloa said. "I wanted to save that money for another kind of emergency."

When she went to the East Side office, Ulloa said she saw several hundred people waiting in line with worried looks, wondering where their checks were.

"There were some ladies I was talking to, and they said they really, really needed their money," Ulloa said.

Martinez said she at least has family who will help her as best they can while she waits seven to 10 days for a check to be reissued.

"Now everything is going to be late," she said.

Arce said the problem also is being investigated by the Postal Service. The checks come in batches sorted by ZIP code and the problem appears to be coming from the Kansas City payment center, he said.

"We have heard how they had a terrible ice storm up in that area," Arce said. "We're not sure where the checks are. They could have been misrouted, lost or destroyed."

Arce said the local Social Security offices will send employees to Van Horn and Sierra Blanca today because of reports that about 400 checks weren't delivered to the towns.

"This just goes to show the advantage of direct deposit, because they did not experience any problem," Arce said.

Davis said direct deposits reduce the time it takes to deliver checks, the cost of delivering the checks, and, most importantly, the chances of the check being stolen.

Wilson said, "They say you should have direct deposit, but I haven't had that. I think we will now."

Postal Service spokesman Don Berger of El Paso said he was told that about 30,000 El Pasoans receive Social Security checks by mail. No information was available from Social Security on how many El Pasoans receive direct- deposit payments.

http://www.borderlandnews.com/stories/borderland/20010109-75482.shtml

-- Doris (nocents@bellsouth.net), January 09, 2001


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