Honk News (Long Island, NY) – Social Security believes an elderly man from Long Island is deceased, and they suspect he is committing fraud by claiming he is still alive.
An elderly man from Long Island reports that he has been unable to receive his Social Security benefits. The federal agency has mistakenly classified him as both deceased and a fraud, leading to a prolonged struggle over the issue.
“I am suffering because every day I ask myself, ‘Why do I deserve what happens to me?’ ” said Wilfredo Pagan, 77, of Freeport to NBC 4.
“It’s a nightmare,” said Pagan, who operates a small store selling religious figurines and candles in Far Rockaway. “I think they want to kill me.”
Pagan, facing a critical need for financial support to manage a surge of medical expenses due to worsening health, has been officially declared deceased by the government agency, according to the report.
A worker for the administration mistakenly believed his Social Security card was fake and took it away in Freeport when he initially attempted to address the larger issue, he stated.
He mentioned that at least one agency in the federal government acknowledges him — he successfully obtained a passport this year with his Social Security number included on it.
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Pagan mentioned that he continues to receive death notices and was informed at one time that someone in the Dominican Republic could be receiving his benefits.
Pagan stated that he has submitted a birth certificate along with other documents to the authorities, expressing that the rejections and allegations are emotionally painful for him.
The mistaken action also prevents him from receiving what could amount to thousands of dollars in benefits over the years.