72,000 stimulus payments went to dead people

[The Northerner]

WASHINGTON – More than 89,000 stimulus payments of $250 each went to people who were either dead or in prison, a government investigator says in a new report.

The payments, which were part of last year's massive economic recovery package, were meant to increase consumer spending to help stimulate the economy.

But about $18 million went to nearly 72,000 people who were dead, according to the report by the Social Security Administration's inspector general. The report estimates that a little more than half of those payments were returned.

An additional $4.3 million went to more than 17,000 prison inmates, the report said. Most of the inmates, it turns out, were eligible to get the payments because they were newly incarcerated and had been receiving Social Security before they were locked up.

In all, the $250 payments were sent to about 52 million people who receive either Social Security or Supplemental Security Income, at a cost of about $13 billion. Other federal retirees also received the payments, but they were not part of the inspector general's review.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101007/ap_on_go_co/us_stimulus_checks_dead_people

[slackmaster]

1. I'm afraid that's the tip of an iceberg

:argh:

[doc03]

2. If they were dead I assume the checks weren't cashed so what's

the harm? Really even if there were 89,000 of them it is miniscule when compared with 52 million payments. An unnamed government investigator!

[slackmaster]

6. It's not hard to negotiate a check that's payable to a deceased person

All you need is a bank account with you and the deceased as joint tenants.

Forge signature, deposit check, profit.

[doc03]

19. How many people of SS age die each day? I don't see

where it would highly unusual for some checks to get out to dead people before SS is aware of their death.

[slackmaster]

22. Thounds die every day. Here's a link you may find useful.

http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/index.html

[Orrex]

3. So that makes, what? About $22.3M? BFD.

The Pentagon loses more than that on the way to the corner to buy a newspaper.

[scarletwoman]

4. Did they rise from the grave to cash the checks?

:eyes:

[slackmaster]

8. You don't have to be alive to deposit a check

All you need is someone who is a joint tenant on a bank account, who is willing to forge your signature.

Given that the person has already failed to inform the bank of your demise, it's not surprising that such a person would be willing to do that.

[babylonsister]

5. How many people in the US die daily? monthly? Not so easy

to keep instantaneous track of people, I wouldn't think.

[B Calm]

7. That was my thought too. Another republican bullshit story?

[blondeatlast]

15. I think you've got it. nt

[Cirque du So-What]

24. Yet it'll get reposted with great regularity

Look around a bit & you'll see more RW bullshit get posted at DU than at some wingnut sites.

[babylonsister]

27. Yep. That's our DU.

:crazy:

[Irishonly]

9. When my mother passed away

in 1980, it only took three months and two copies of her death certificate to convince Social Security she was no longer living. Then I got a horrible threatening letter telling me I had to return three monthly checks. I called and told them no problem but it was really too bad someone didn't open mail there because I had been trying for three months. I am not surprised this happened. Shouldn't be a reflection on the stimulus.

[doc03]

20. Same here it took several weeks for SS to send their

death benefit (around $250) when my dad died.

[slackmaster]

10. About 6,500 people over age 18 die per day in the US

Some fraction of whom would have been qualified to receive the stimulus payment.

[frazzled]

16. Most people on Social Security are over 65, and many are elderly

They die. At a much higher rate than the rest of the population. So if it takes 3 or 4 months to get checks out, it's no big surprise that a number of individuals would have expired in the meantime.

End of non-story.

[SidDithers]

25. CIA factbook says ~6,800 people die daily in the US...

so, 72,000 isn't even 2 weeks worth.

Sid

[Starry Messenger]

11. Fucking dead people.

I bet they squandered it all on hookers and blow, too.

[dixiegrrrrl]

12. Yeah!!!! They oughta be punished or something, trying to rip us off like that.

Death penalty too severe, ya think?

[Starry Messenger]

14. Usually I'm against the death penalty

but I think we should make an exception for this terrible, terrible crime. I saw a dead person driving a Cadillac in a parking lot the other day too. They are fucking sneaky.

[dixiegrrrrl]

17. Hell, I have seen them run for President!

[blondeatlast]

18. Cadillacs. Long, black Cadillacs. nt

[Starry Messenger]

21. It's like they're flaunting it.

This shameless behavior must stop.

[blondeatlast]

23. Whitewalls are sooo tacky, too! nt

[Starry Messenger]

26. Dammit, I can't top that.

Well played. :thumbsup:

[spanone]

13. did it stimulate them?