Called the social security office regarding Adam Lanza's death record.
60 2013-02-01 by [deleted]
After watching this video. I posted the video link here. The man says that he called genealogybank, and then he called the SSA office to confirm that their records were legitimate, he said that they were giving excuses like a broken computer/frozen computer and then they could not give him the information.
Surprise, my story matches his. He put me on hold ambiguously, came back to tell me he was having a computer problem, was on hold for a few more minutes, and finally he returns. Oh and he has no idea who I was talking about, never heard of him, never watched the news in the past two months and could not give me any information.
42 comments
14 [deleted] 2013-02-01
Thanks for doing this. I might have to try it as well. XD
7 spaghettigod 2013-02-01
Do it and report back please.
http://www.ssa.gov/pgm/services.htm
6 [deleted] 2013-02-01
Still on hold.
7 spaghettigod 2013-02-01
Speakerphone. Put on desk. Took almost 20 minutes to get on the phone :P
8 [deleted] 2013-02-01
I'm using Skype and FRAPSing. The guy I'm talking to is saying the record is sealed. [EDIT: Not sealed, he says it's not pulling anything up.] On hold again. XD
8 spaghettigod 2013-02-01
Nice. Upload asap.
5 [deleted] 2013-02-01
For what it's worth..
8 spaghettigod 2013-02-01
I don't know if you feel the same way but I hate hearing the sound of my own voice recorded :*(
4 [deleted] 2013-02-01
Hell yeah, it was painful to edit. Plus I was nervous on the call since I knew I was going to upload it. /sigh
2 Nebz604 2013-02-01
At like 1:35 that was a good question about whether or not death records are public, what made me laugh though was that he wasn't sure and had to read the manual on whether he could do that or not.
But then you state you have a copy of the master death index. I'd sure like to see that.
The guy then says you can file a FOIA request, just like the person I talked to had told me I would need to do to get info since I am not a claiming relative.
3 AlwayzPro 2013-02-01
it is because you hear you voice differently when you speak.
1 CHATenn 2013-02-01
I seem to like mine more when it's recorded.
0 [deleted] 2013-02-01
Me too and I'm a radio personality with weekly airchecks (where you listen to yourself) with my boss. Ugh.
11 blakdawg 2013-02-01
What makes you think you're going to get any meaningful information out of SSA? I interact with them (grudgingly) as part of my work handling decedent's estates, and they are a fucking pain in the ass regarding the release of information, even for family members of decedents or people making claims for disabled/injured people, or dependents of decedents.
The SSI Master Death Index is available to the general public but it's really expensive, especially for anything like near-realtime access (e.g., to show data from 2012, and especially December 2012). The information will percolate out to the free or cheap sites, but it'll probably take months or a year or so for that to happen - most of the companies that would make that information available to the public only subscribe to quarterly or annual updates.
I wouldn't expect to get any meaningful information from a random phone clerk at SSA any more than I'd call the DMV and ask them complicated car title questions, or call the IRS and ask tax questions. Here's a hint: if you call once and ask your question, you'll feel like you have a real answer. Call again, you'll get a different answer. Call again, you'll get a third answer, and then you'll never bother with calling them after that, because it becomes clear that they just make shit up when they don't know how to answer your question, or don't want to.
2 spaghettigod 2013-02-01
Just wanted to see what they would have to say.
Exactly, I know for almost certain that if I were to call again and get someone else, I'd get a whole new line of answers and inquiry (and that I would be on hold while they fix their broken/frozen computer aka while they ask a supervisor).
13 [deleted] 2013-02-01
[deleted]
3 canuck1987toronto 2013-02-01
Good sir, twelve millions points to you
2 [deleted] 2013-02-01
It's almost as if the SSA couldn't give a flying fuck about this.
1 bojang1es 2013-02-01
I don't think this really suggests anything. If the government was behind the shooting they wouldn't let something like this slip.
8 klmd 2013-02-01
You think too highly of government employees.
0 sandyhoaxer 2013-02-01
See Obama's Birth Certificate
1 Shyssiryxius 2013-02-01
Cand I get a tl;de?
2 [deleted] 2013-02-01
you can get a strong cup of black coffee and 2 tylenol.
1 [deleted] 2013-02-01
At least you tried
sir
1 SKapper 2013-02-01
Excellent work!
1 mondoennui 2013-02-01
I watched the original video of the guy who called and asked these questions. However, I'm wondering what makes everyone sure this social security number is actually Adam Lanzas? I saw no credible source for this. Did anyone else catch how that is known?
-1 [deleted] 2013-02-01
[deleted]
2 BRB1011 2013-02-01
And your point?
-10 Nebz604 2013-02-01
LOL
So your story matches his in that no death record is available?
6 spaghettigod 2013-02-01
I didn't say that and he didn't say that. We both said they couldn't give us that information. That's all.
???
2 [deleted] 2013-02-01
Yo man. Don't respond to the shills.
-8 Nebz604 2013-02-01
Ya you're saying that here, but on the recorded call you were being very ambiguous as to why you were calling.
If you had straight out asked if there was any way they could provide you with information about whether or not someone is listed in the SSDI, you would have immediately gotten the right answer.
Did I forget to mention something when I last talked about when I called them? lol
5 spaghettigod 2013-02-01
You're right I should've asked that.
But what I did ask was if that the information other websites (genealogybank) is claiming they received is accurate. And he couldn't/wouldn't tell me if that was so.
There are dozens of websites with access to SSDI records and yet this man can't tell me if their information they received is accurate or redirect me to someone who can? Sounds a bit silly.
Source -> Social Security Administration -> Information provided in SSDI accessible on other websites -> SSA can't confirm or correct their information displayed on these websites? Bullshite.
2 GitEmSteveDave 2013-02-01
I see nothing wrong with that. Why would a government agency/employee officially confirm the validity of information on a private site?
2 spaghettigod 2013-02-01
Because they're the source of that information?
2 GitEmSteveDave 2013-02-01
They may be the source, but I wouldn't expect them to verify that information that another site is listing is correct, only their own.
-4 Nebz604 2013-02-01
The SSA guy told me they have cost recovery. I guess they are not setup to sit there all day looking up records for curious people.
If you want them to check their records you need to file a Freedom of Information Act request, give them $25 and wait 6 months. But I doubt it would help if that lawyer had the info sealed.
Edit: Think this is the proper link. https://secure.ssa.gov/apps9/eFOIA-FEWeb/internet/main.jsp
2 spaghettigod 2013-02-01
Okay.
-5 Nebz604 2013-02-01
File a FOIA request https://secure.ssa.gov/apps9/eFOIA-FEWeb/internet/main.jsp
or buy your own copy of the master death index for $1000
http://www.ssdmf.com
The reason those websites charge money is because they pay to get the SSDI.
-1 [deleted] 2013-02-01
nice try ...
-5 Nebz604 2013-02-01
Nice try, what?
I think you missed the original video where the guy claimed to have called the "SSDI office" and told a story about being shuffled around to different departments and being asked for his personal information, making up stories about computer failures etc
There's just no SSDI record, yet anyways. Unless his dad rushes off to file for his sons death benefits from all those hard years of work he paid into his social security. lol
-2 [deleted] 2013-02-01
lolcaust*
-4 Nebz604 2013-02-01
You know the lolcaust was a hoax
0 [deleted] 2013-02-01
Indeed
2 BRB1011 2013-02-01
And your point?