TN 14 (04-00)

Nonreceipt of direct deposit instructions are in GN 02406.007 for U.S., and GN 02402.000 for International.

Most payments made to title II non-beneficiaries are OCO A-payments made to attorneys, Internal Revenue Service, and in garnishment situations. Checks to non-beneficiaries are often sent to offices where they are stamped for deposit, not endorsed by the same person month-to-month as a beneficiary's or recipient's check. Because the nature of the relationship with SSA is different in that “overpayments” cannot be recovered from future benefits, allegations of nonreceipt should be handled differently.

• These allegations of nonreceipt must be processed manually by the PC.

• When FO/TSC receives this type of an allegation, forward the case to the PC via MDW for processing.

PC:

• In order to ensure that we maintain control over these cases, the PC should input an F-stop to determine the status of the check, to produce a claims package if the check has been cashed, and to determine who cashed the check before a replacement is generated. This is in lieu of a B- or C-Stop that would replace the check immediately or if the check had not yet been presented for payment and possibly create an overpayment that would be difficult to recover.

• If the check has been cashed, have the office in question review the check photocopy the same as if it were a beneficiary or recipient.

• If the check has been cashed but the endorsement/stamp on the back of the check photocopy is not recognizable to the non-beneficiary, the FMS-1133 should be completed, photocopied, and forwarded to DT for a forgery determination and reclamation, if appropriate.

• If the check was forged, when DT returns the credit to SSA the payment can be replaced, if still due.

If it was not a forgery, no additional payment is due.