Stuck in SSA phone limbo for 2+ days - phone number changed and can't get past two-factor authentication

I feel your pain! I went through almost the exact same nightmare last month trying to fix an underpayment issue with my retirement benefits. After 3 days of calling that stupid 800 number and getting nowhere, I finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me through to SSA in about 20 minutes. They basically wait on hold for you and call you back when they have an agent on the line. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Honestly it was such a relief after all that frustration. I was skeptical at first but they actually delivered and I got my issues resolved that same day.

Have you tried going to your local field office in person?? Sometimes thats the ONLY way to get anything done with these people. I spent 6 weeks trying to fix my husbands SSI payment after they somehow lost his paperwork and the ONLY thing that worked was showing up at 6:30am to wait in line when they opened at 9am!!!

The authentication issue is something I help people with regularly. Here's what you need to do: 1. For the my Social Security online account, there is an alternative verification option. When you're at the two-factor screen, look for "Can't access this phone?" or "Need another option" (usually at the bottom of the screen). 2. This will give you an option to receive a verification code by mail, which takes 5-10 days but will work. 3. If you need immediate help, you can try calling at exactly 8:00 AM Eastern time. The earlier in the morning and earlier in the week, the better your chances. 4. When calling, avoid the automated menu options about benefits or payments - instead select options related to "security," "online account access" or "technical issues" as these queues are typically shorter. 5. If you do visit a field office as someone suggested, Tuesdays-Thursdays tend to be less crowded than Mondays and Fridays. Hope this helps!

Having worked with Social Security beneficiaries for many years, I can tell you that your situation is unfortunately common. The two-factor authentication system doesn't accommodate phone number changes well. To update your phone number in the system, you have three options: 1. Send a secure message through your mySocialSecurity account (which you can't access) 2. Call the national number (which you're struggling with) 3. Visit a field office in person (which may be your best option) For the phone option, try calling exactly at 8:00am Eastern on Wednesday or Thursday. Select option 1 for English, then 3 for "other" issues, then 1 again. This sometimes bypasses the longest queues. If you visit in person, bring multiple forms of ID (driver's license, passport if you have one, birth certificate), proof of address, and your Social Security card if you have it. This will speed up the process of updating your information. Most importantly, once you get your account access restored, immediately set up alternative contact methods (email, backup phone, address) to prevent this problem in the future.

omg the ssa phone system is COMPLETELY BROKEN!!! i spent 9 HOURS on hold last month trying to fix my disability payment after they randomly cut it by $223 with NO EXPLANATION!!! the system hung up on me TWICE after 3+ hours on hold each time. this is how they treat disabled americans who literally need this money to survive??? absolutely disgusting. our government should be ashamed.

Have you tried contacting your Congressional representative's office? Most people don't realize this, but they have staff dedicated to helping constituents with federal agency issues, including Social Security. When I had a similar authentication problem last year, I was getting nowhere for weeks until I called my Congressman's office. Their caseworker contacted SSA directly through their special channels, and my issue was resolved within 48 hours. Just Google "[your state] Congressional representative" to find your rep, then call their local district office (not the DC office). Explain that you need help with a Social Security issue. They'll ask you to fill out a privacy release form, and then they'll advocate on your behalf. It's literally their job to help with these situations!

try calling first thing tuesday morning thats when i always get thru... monday is always packed with weekend backlog and friday everyone calls before weekend... tues/wed/thurs way better

I wanted to follow up on your two-factor authentication issue specifically. If none of the other methods work quickly enough for you, there's one more option: SSA has a specific technical support line for my Social Security account issues: 1-800-772-1213, then select the option for "help with a personal Social Security matter" followed by "online account help" or similar wording. When you reach a representative, immediately explain that you need help with two-factor authentication due to a changed phone number. They should be able to verify your identity through alternative means and help update your contact information. Additionally, if you have any official correspondence from SSA with a specific claim number or reference number, have that ready - it can help them locate your records more quickly.

I've been dealing with SSA for years through my work with seniors, and I have to say this thread has some of the best advice I've seen! Just wanted to add one more tip that's helped several of my clients: if you're still having trouble getting through by phone, try calling your state's Area Agency on Aging. Many of them have direct contacts at SSA or can provide advocacy services. They're used to helping people navigate these exact issues and often know local shortcuts or have relationships with specific offices. You can find your local agency by searching "Area Agency on Aging" plus your county name. They're a free resource that more people should know about!

Wow, this thread is incredibly helpful! I'm dealing with a similar situation where I need to update my address on file with SSA but can't access my online account. Reading through everyone's suggestions, I think I'm going to try the Congressional representative route first since that seems to have worked really well for multiple people here. @Hannah White - I really hope one of these methods works for you! The two-factor authentication problem is so frustrating when you can't access your old phone number. Based on what everyone's shared, it sounds like you have several good options now between the Congressional office, the specific phone menu paths, and visiting in person if needed. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and tips - this is exactly the kind of real-world advice that actually helps people navigate these bureaucratic nightmares!

As someone who's been through the SSA maze before, I want to echo what others have said about the Congressional representative option - it's seriously underutilized! I had a similar two-factor authentication nightmare last year when my elderly mother's phone was stolen right before she needed to check her benefits. The Congressional office not only resolved it quickly but also helped us set up backup verification methods to prevent it from happening again. One thing I'd add to the great advice already here: if you do end up visiting the field office, bring a backup phone number (like a trusted family member's) that they can add to your account as an alternative contact method. This way you'll have options if your primary number changes again in the future. The fact that you've documented 7 hours of hold time shows incredible persistence - don't give up! Between the Congressional route, the specific phone menu paths people shared, and visiting in person, you definitely have viable options now.

I'm new to this community but wanted to share something that worked for me in a similar situation. When I couldn't access my mySocialSecurity account due to a phone number change, I discovered that if you have a trusted family member or friend who can receive calls, you can actually have SSA update your contact information over the phone using a three-way call verification process. Here's how it works: You call SSA with your trusted person on the line, they verify your identity through security questions, then they can temporarily use your friend/family member's phone to send the verification code while you're all on the call together. Once you get back into your account, you can immediately update your primary phone number. This isn't widely advertised, but the representative I spoke with said it's an official accommodation they can make for situations exactly like yours. It might be worth mentioning this option when you try calling using the specific menu paths others have shared. Good luck - I really hope you get this resolved soon!

This thread has been absolutely incredible - I'm blown away by how many practical solutions everyone has shared! As someone who's just starting to navigate SSA issues for the first time, I had no idea there were so many alternative approaches beyond just calling the main number and hoping for the best. The Congressional representative option seems particularly promising - I never would have thought that was something they help with. And the three-way call verification process that @Oliver Schmidt mentioned sounds like it could be a game-changer for people stuck in authentication limbo. @Hannah White - you've gotten such a comprehensive toolkit of strategies now! Between the specific phone menu paths, the Congressional office route, visiting in person with all the right documents, and even that three-way verification option, you should definitely be able to get this resolved. Your persistence in documenting those 7 hours of hold time really shows your dedication. This is exactly the kind of community knowledge-sharing that makes such a difference when dealing with these bureaucratic challenges. Thank you everyone for being so generous with your hard-earned experience and tips!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm absolutely amazed by the wealth of practical advice in this thread! I've been putting off dealing with some SSA issues myself, but seeing all these strategies makes it feel much more manageable. @Hannah White - your situation sounds incredibly frustrating, but you now have such a comprehensive action plan! I'm particularly intrigued by the Congressional representative route that several people mentioned - I had no idea that was even an option for federal agency issues. One small addition to all the great advice: if you do end up going the mail verification route that @Cameron Black mentioned, you might want to start that process in parallel with trying the other methods, since it takes 5-10 days. That way you'll have it as a backup if the phone/in-person routes don't work out quickly. This thread is a perfect example of why community knowledge-sharing is so valuable - official websites never tell you about these real-world workarounds that actually help people navigate bureaucratic challenges. Thank you to everyone who shared their hard-earned experience!

As someone who recently joined this community, I have to say this thread is absolutely invaluable! I've been struggling with my own SSA issues and had no idea there were so many alternative approaches beyond the standard phone number runaround. @Hannah White - your persistence is admirable, and you've struck gold with this community response! The Congressional representative option that @Ruby Garcia mentioned is particularly eye-opening - I never knew they had dedicated staff for exactly these situations. I'm definitely bookmarking this entire thread for future reference. The combination of specific phone menu paths, timing strategies, backup verification methods, and even that three-way call process creates such a comprehensive toolkit for navigating SSA challenges. Thank you to everyone who shared their hard-won experience here. This is exactly the kind of practical, real-world advice that makes all the difference when you're stuck in bureaucratic quicksand. The willingness of community members to share detailed strategies and insider knowledge is truly remarkable!

I finally got through to the SSA and changed my number on the phone and it still hasn’t updated my phone number. How long does it take for the update to go through?

I finally did get through and updated my phone number but it still hasn’t changed in the system. How long does it take to be updated?

Hey @Hannah White, I'm new to this community but had to chime in after reading through this incredibly helpful thread! I went through a similar nightmare with SSA's two-factor authentication when my phone was stolen last year, and it's such a relief to see so many people sharing practical solutions. The Congressional representative route that @Ruby Garcia mentioned really is a game-changer - I used it for a different SSA issue and was shocked at how quickly they resolved something I'd been struggling with for weeks. Definitely worth trying alongside the other strategies people have shared. One thing I learned from my experience: if you do get through using any of these methods, ask them to add multiple contact methods to your account (backup phone, email, etc.) so you don't get stuck in this situation again. SSA reps can usually set up 2-3 different verification options once you're connected with them. Really hoping one of these approaches works for you soon - 7 hours on hold is absolutely ridiculous! This community's collective wisdom is amazing.

As a newcomer to this community, I'm absolutely amazed by the incredible wealth of practical advice in this thread! @Hannah White, your situation perfectly illustrates one of the most frustrating aspects of dealing with government agencies - being caught in these impossible catch-22 scenarios where you need to access a system to fix the very thing preventing you from accessing it. Reading through all these responses, I'm struck by how many alternative pathways exist that most people (myself included) would never think to try. The Congressional representative option that several people mentioned is particularly eye-opening - I had no idea that was even a service they provided for federal agency issues! What really impresses me is how this community has essentially crowdsourced a comprehensive troubleshooting guide that's probably more useful than anything you'd find on official SSA websites. Between the specific timing strategies, menu navigation tips, backup verification methods, and even that three-way call verification process @Oliver Schmidt mentioned, you now have multiple parallel approaches to try. Your documentation of 7+ hours of hold time really highlights how broken this system can be for regular citizens just trying to access their own benefits. I really hope one of these strategies breaks through for you soon - and thank you for starting this conversation that's clearly helping so many others facing similar challenges!

I'm new to this community but had to jump in after reading this incredibly helpful thread! @Hannah White, I feel your frustration so deeply - I went through something very similar when I moved states and couldn't update my address because of the same two-factor authentication nightmare. What really strikes me about all the advice here is how it highlights that there are actually multiple paths through the SSA bureaucracy, but they're not well-publicized. The Congressional representative option that @Ruby Garcia and others mentioned is absolutely brilliant - I had no idea this was even a thing! It makes so much sense though - they literally have staff whose job it is to help constituents with exactly these federal agency roadblocks. I'm also impressed by @Cameron Black and @Jessica Nguyen's detailed technical advice about the specific phone menu paths and timing strategies. Having those exact steps laid out makes it feel so much more manageable than just randomly trying different options. One thing I'd add based on my own experience: if you do try the in-person route that @Victoria Jones suggested, bring a printed copy of this thread or at least notes from it! Some of the field office staff might not be familiar with all the workarounds people have mentioned here, and having specific reference information can help guide the conversation. Really hoping you break through this bureaucratic wall soon - 7+ hours on hold is absolutely ridiculous, and you clearly have the persistence to see this through!

As someone new to this community, I'm absolutely amazed by the incredible support and practical advice shared in this thread! @Hannah White, your situation is so frustrating but you've really struck gold finding this community - the collective wisdom here is incredible. I wanted to add one more potential approach that worked for my neighbor last year: if you have a local Senior Center or AARP office nearby, many of them have volunteers who specifically help people navigate SSA issues. They often have direct contacts or know the local field office staff personally, which can sometimes open doors that regular channels can't. Also, regarding the Congressional representative route that several people mentioned - this really is a game-changer! I helped my elderly father use this service for a Medicare issue, and I was shocked at how quickly they responded and resolved something he'd been struggling with for months. The fact that you've documented 7+ hours of hold time shows incredible persistence. Between all the strategies shared here - the specific phone menu paths, Congressional office, in-person visits, mail verification, and even that three-way call option - you definitely have multiple paths forward now. Really hoping one of these breaks through for you soon! Thank you to everyone who shared their hard-earned experience here. This is exactly the kind of real-world problem-solving that makes all the difference when dealing with bureaucratic nightmares.

I'm new to this community, but I had to join this conversation because this thread is absolutely incredible! @Hannah White, I'm so sorry you're dealing with this nightmare - the two-factor authentication catch-22 is one of the most frustrating bureaucratic problems I've ever heard of. Reading through all the advice here, I'm blown away by how many alternative solutions exist that most people (including me) would never know about. The Congressional representative option seems like an absolute game-changer - I had no idea they helped with federal agency issues like this! And @Oliver Schmidt's three-way call verification process sounds like it could be perfect for your exact situation. What really impresses me is how this community has essentially created the most comprehensive SSA troubleshooting guide I've ever seen. Between the specific phone menu paths, timing strategies, local office tips, and backup verification methods, you now have multiple approaches to try simultaneously. Your persistence through 7+ hours of documented hold time is incredible, and honestly highlights how broken these systems can be for regular people just trying to access their own benefits. I'm bookmarking this entire thread because this is exactly the kind of real-world advice you can't find anywhere else. Really hoping one of these community-shared strategies breaks through for you soon - and thank you for starting a conversation that's clearly helping so many others facing similar challenges!