Beware of double dipping

Published 5:13 am Saturday, May 12, 2007

By By KATHIE HEMPEL / Niles Daily Star
NILES- Berrien County Prosecutor Arthur Cotter has a message for those tempted to double-dip on their Social Security checks.
Beginning Tuesday, May 15, his office will be arraigning 202 individuals from across Berrien County. These individuals are charged with the offense of Obtaining Money under False Pretenses, for their part in defrauding the Social Security Administration.
"It will be paid back, you can rely on that. From what I have been told requests for second checks at the Benton Harbor office have gone down by 70 percent, " Cotter said.
Since the word has gotten out that offenders will be prosecuted, the decline in requests for second checks seems to indicate that the message is getting through. Cotter said he thinks a good number of the offenders "stumbled" on the opportunity to cash in on what he sees as the Social Security Administration's part of the problem.
"I think that some individuals asked for the second check quite legitimately. Having lost the first, or due to a delayed mail delivery, individuals will call for a second check to pay the rent or get food. Then the first check is found or delivered. They tried to cash it and found out nothing happened," Cotter said.
At least nothing happened immediately. Now some of those involved, face repaying anything from a two-time double payment to the case of one Berrien County individual, who as the county's worst offender, will have to repay $14,000.
"Part of the problem, frankly, is that a court order directs that the second check be issued right away, because people depend on it. There is no time to investigate the legitimacy of the request," he said.
Investigators from several federal agencies and local police departments were involved in the six-month investigation that led to warrants being issued. Twenty-five arraignments will be heard each afternoon until all are completed.
For most of the offenders, repayment will be taken from future checks. According to Cotter restitution will be made in all cases. Should a recipient become employed during the repayment period, the individual can expect paychecks would be garnisheed until the total owed is repaid.