Please Help a Man Who Just Got His Social Security Stolen

Hello, all. I believe I got booted from Social Security. For no reason. And I can't get answers. I should have gotten my disbursement on the third week of the month but I haven't. Something is very wrong. I can feel it. I've never once had to wait this long for my benefits. I know that many others have had their Social Security suspended or outright terminated under the most specious of reasons. I heard about the poor guy in Seattle who lost his benefits plus the $5201 in his bank account and wondered, "Am I next?" I think I just got my answer.

As I'm sure many of you know, the madness infecting this government has resulted in fewer phone lines to call, fewer people to answer those phones (resulting in four hour wait times) and they're planning on shutting down 47 regional offices. The SSA's website is suddenly dysfunctional and that's by design. They've just fired 7000 employees at the SSA, a 12% reduction in its workforce, a 50 year low. My heart goes out to my fellow retirees who are going through the same fear, anger and uncertainty. Yet, at the end of the day, we must begin thinking parochially and seeing to our own affairs.

I currently have $4 in the bank because I have not received my benefits since February 27th last year. I was put on Medicare January last year, which comes with a hefty $175 premium that, with no Social Security, will continue to snowball. And, if I DO get my benefits back, will Medicare take everything I have coming to me until the debt is satisfied so I'm back to where I am right now? I suspect so. If I don't top up my minutes by the 6th, I'll lose my phone then they'll give my number to someone else. I need it to stay in touch with the outside world, so I can call the agencies I need to call to rectify this.

In the meantime, I desperately need help. I have nothing but ice cubes in my freezer, virtually no food in the refrigerator or cupboards. It's been a very rough year and a half for me. My fiancee died (the picture you see above was taken by her at the National Mall in 2010), then I got evicted from our apartment of 15 years in Massachusetts when I couldn't keep up with the rent. Then I was forced to move to Phoenix to avoid homelessness. Now I've lost my sole revenue stream. But that's my money, OUR money. It does not belong to DOGE or the government. It's OURS, paid for through our payroll taxes.

I realize times are tough for many of us, especially since January 20th. Many of you are also feeling the pinch and I hear you. Some of you reading this may have also lost your SSI or SSDI benefits or maybe a government job. I will perfectly understand if you're not able to help. This Go Fund Me is for those of you who are still fortunate enough to contribute in any way, to any degree. I and others shouldn't need to crowdfund our basic living expenses. We shouldn't even need sites like Go Fund Me because the system deliberately or not fails us. But this is the reality and we must avail ourselves of this stopgap system of shortterm solvency when we need to.

But, because I don't believe in getting something for nothing, here's what I'll do: For the last several decades, I've been a novelist. In fact, I used to have a literary agent. I've been publishing on Amazon for 15 years. I've just finished the first draft of a new novel that, hopefully, will be on the market by April. I will send a free Kindle copy to anyone who kicks in at least $25 and a free autographed paperback to anyone who contributes $50 or more. All you have to do is contact me here. That would be my thanks to you.

May heaven help us all during these frightening and unprecedented times. Thank you in advance.