FACT CHECK: No, People Born Before 1957 Are Not Eligible To Receive Thousands More On Their Social Security Checks

Elias AtienzaJuly 22, 2022

A video shared on Facebook claims people born before 1957 will receive $1,728 more in their social security checks if they register on a website.
Verdict: False

There is no evidence to suggest that people are getting $1,728 added to their social security checks. No such benefit has been announced by the Social Security Administration (SSA).

Fact Check:

The Facebook video, viewed over 27,000 times, proclaims that it is the “last day to register” for people born before 1957 to potentially receive a $1,728 increase in their social security checks. “People Born Before 1957 Are Getting $1,728 Added To Their SS Checks If They Register Below,” the post’s caption claims. The video shows a group of people excitedly reacting to something on a computer screen.

Those who are 62 years or older and have paid into Social Security throughout their lives are eligible to receive Social Security checks, according to the Social Security Administration’s website. The average monthly benefit for retired workers was $1,666.49 in April 2022, CNBC reported.

The viral Facebook post appears to be a scam. There is no mention of the alleged news benefit in any of the SSA’s press releases or on its “benefit amounts” page. There are likewise no credible news reports suggesting the federal government would be seeking to increase the payments on social security checks. (RELATED: Did Joe Biden Say He And Kamala Harris Will Defund Social Security?)

Social Security benefits did see an increase of 5.9 percent in 2022 due to a cost-of-living adjustment caused by inflation, according to CNBC. A non-partisan analyst group, The Senior Citizens League, did suggest monthly benefits would rise approximately 10.5 percent in 2023, or around $175.10 per month, the outlet reported.

When asked about the viral post, the SSA directed Check Your Fact to a section of its website dedicated to spotting scams.

This is not the first time Social Security has been the target of misinformation. Check Your Fact previously debunked a claim from March 2022 claiming Social Security numbers were linked to accounts that were under control by the federal reserve.