CalWORKs eligibility getting mixed up with SSI review - caseworker demanding in-person appointment

This sounds suspicious. SSI reviews (called CDRs - Continuing Disability Reviews) are typically handled through the mail first with their standard form SSA-455. They only schedule in-person appointments if they need additional information after reviewing your paperwork. And yes, they DO conduct reviews, but legitimate SSA employees don't behave aggressively. They should always identify themselves properly and provide you with their information. If you want to verify this is legitimate, DO NOT call any number they gave you. Instead, call the main SSA number (1-800-772-1213) and ask if you have a scheduled review. Also, this shouldn't affect your children's CalWORKs at all - that's a completely separate program managed by the county, not SSA.

SCAM ALERT!!!! This EXACT same thing happened to my cousin last month!!!!! They called demanding bank statements and social security numbers for "verification" and threatened to cut her benefits if she didn't come in. She went to the actual SSA office to check and they had NO RECORD of any review scheduled for her. These scammers are getting more convincing, they even spoof government phone numbers now. NEVER give personal info to people who call you!!

To answer your question directly: Yes, SSI does conduct periodic reviews (called Continuing Disability Reviews or CDRs), but there are specific protocols they follow: 1. For medical reviews, they typically send Form SSA-455 (Disability Update Report) by mail first 2. For financial reviews (redeterminations), they usually send a notice by mail with appointment options 3. All legitimate SSA employees must identify themselves properly 4. You always have the right to reschedule if needed The aggressive approach you described raises red flags. I'd recommend contacting your local SSA office directly to verify if there's actually a review scheduled. If it's legitimate, you can request a different caseworker if the assigned one was inappropriate. As for your CalWORKs benefits for your children, those are administered separately by the county welfare department. Your SSI review shouldn't directly affect them, though you may need to report any changes in your SSI amount to CalWORKs if it changes significantly.

I had a similar issue trying to reach my CalWORKs worker about this exact SSI/CalWORKs mixed benefits situation! After getting disconnected 5 times and waiting on hold for 45+ minutes each time, I used Claimyr.com and got through to a real person in about 8 minutes. They have this service where they wait on hold with these government offices for you and call you back when a real person answers. Saved me a full day of frustration. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE Definitely call the SSA directly though! The way that person approached you sounds super sketchy.

i had in person ssi review last year but they sent me letter FIRST with appointment date and caseworker name and everything. they never just call out of nowhere and demand u come in. sounds fishy to me.

Update: I called the main SSA number this morning and they confirmed they had NOT scheduled any review for me! The representative was really helpful and put a note in my file about the scam call. She said they're seeing more of these calls lately where scammers pretend to be from SSA to get personal information. She also confirmed my kids' CalWORKs wouldn't be affected by any SSI review anyway since they're separate programs. Thanks to everyone who responded - you saved me from potentially giving info to scammers!

SSI is such a pain with reviews!!! my brother has been on SSI for 10 years and sometimes they do short forms by mail and sometimes they make him go in person. last time they made him see their doctor too even tho nothing changed with his condition. total waste of time!!! and then i got so confused cuz i thought his CalWORKs would be affected too but thats county and SSI is federal so theyre different systems. the whole thing is way too complicated!!!!

Just to clarify something important about CalWORKs and SSI that might help others reading this thread: If you receive SSI, you're excluded from the CalWORKs assistance unit, but your children can still receive CalWORKs benefits if they qualify. This is what's happening in the original poster's situation. The confusing part is that while you report your SSI income to CalWORKs, it's not counted against your children's eligibility the same way earned income would be. It's subjected to different income calculation rules. Also, legitimate SSI reviews follow a predictable pattern. Medical CDRs can be scheduled anywhere from every 18 months to every 7 years depending on your condition, while SSI redeterminations (financial reviews) typically happen every 1-3 years. But they ALWAYS send written notification first.