BAYTOWN, Texas — A disabled dad is getting a $700 refund after calling Grace Can Help because he found out someone had been stealing his disability benefits. At first, he reported the fraud to the Social Security Administration and was denied a refund.
"I don't like to talk, I spend most of my time in my room," said Juan Ortiz, who told us he had a stroke years ago and receives $1,262 a month in disability benefits.
Last November, Ortiz said his family was trying to buy groceries when his government-issued Direct Express card was declined.
"I was like, 'Hey man, it denied your card.' And he said, 'What do you mean it denied my card?' I said, 'Dude, it denied your card three times,'" said Jesus Ortiz, his son.
On November 7, Juan Ortiz and his son called to report two fraudulent charges from the same day. Both from Albuquerque, New Mexico and both just under $100. However, when they looked back at their statements, they found the same two charges had been happening every month since July, totaling close to $1,000.
"It's unfortunate when people don't discover the fraud until much later," said Eva Velasquez, President/CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center.
She says there are ways to protect yourself:
- Check your statements every month
- Report fraud immediately, the more time that passes the harder it can be to get reimbursed
- Open a credit card or bank account to deposit your benefits into, instead of using a government debit card so there's an added layer of protection
"I do think you will have a less cumbersome experience when you are dealing with a financial institution than with a federal entity," said Velasquez.
KHOU 11 learned Juan Ortiz's claim for a refund was denied because the original fraud charge in July was just outside the 120-day reporting window. We reached out to the Social Security Administration, but a spokeswoman said she could not comment on individual cases.
Then days later, Juan Ortiz got a phone call saying he would be getting a partial refund. He said he's thankful because it's been a struggle since his stroke to keep up with all the paperwork.
"They need to do something about it man, people that need the money, man, aren't getting it," he said
If you suspect fraud on your Direct Express card, call 1-888-741-1115 to report it to customer service.
If you have a problem and need help, email GraceCanHelp@khou.com, call (713) 521-HELP or fill out the form below.