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Internet Lies About Social Security Never Go Away

Internet Lies About Social Security Never Go Away
People line up outside of the Social Security Administration office in San Francisco, Calif., on Feb. 2, 2005. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Tom Margenau
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There are so many Social Security-bashing screeds floating around on the internet. Some are full of a few half-truths, but most are outright lies. I could spend every one of my weekly columns just trying to set the record straight.

These things get passed around via emails from one gullible and naive nitwit to the next. Today, I’m going to address one that has been polluting inboxes for almost a quarter-century now. In fact, I wrote my first column about it in 1997! It’s still around, and it’s still spreading falsehoods.

Tom Margenau
Tom Margenau
Author
Tom Margenau worked for 32 years in a variety of positions for the Social Security Administration before retiring in 2005. He has served as the director of SSA’s public information office, the chief editor of more than 100 SSA publications, a deputy press officer and spokesman, and a speechwriter for the commissioner of Social Security. For 12 years, he also wrote Social Security columns for local newspapers, and recently published the book “Social Security: Simple and Smart.” If you have a Social Security question, contact him at [email protected]
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